Dragonball AD Alternate Dimension
by Aoikami Sarah
Summary: An AU spanning several decades. War, peace, love, death, and inter-dimensional intrigue. Multiple versions of events play out for the Son and Vegeta families.
1. Prologue

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension  
  
by Aoi Kami Sarah**

This alternate universe Dragonball fanfiction is based on Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball manga and anime.

**Preface:**

            Imagine that destiny is a garden with many paths. If you take one path, certain things will affect you along the way that will not affect people on other paths. Imagine Goku and Piccolo coming to a fork in the road. Instead of taking the right fork (which leads to a strong Radditz and Goku's death and continues along the path of Toriyama-san's story) they take the left fork. Gohan, Piccolo and Goku are able to defeat Radditz and all three good-guys live. The Z Warriors, having taken a different path into their futures, created a separate dimension.

            Welcome to Dragonball Alternate Dimension.

            This story picks up when Gohan is 18 years old. He never went to Orange Star High School, never met Videl or became the Great Saiyaman. He agreed to be home-taught so that Chi-chi would let him go away for "college"...

**Prologue:**

            Atsuko had been waiting for this day all her life. It was her 18th birthday. The matron called her name over the PA. The other girls cast spiteful glances in her direction. Some even dared to stare directly at her. This would be the last time they would ever see her, so they felt brave enough to be rude. Atsuko finished combing her long, blue hair and put her rough, cloth head-band back on over the purple star-shaped mark on her forehead. 

            Most of the girls were staring directly at this feature with utter contempt. They were natives to the planet, and all had wavy, silvery hair and pale complexions. There were three other aliens in the ward with them, but none who either stood out as much, or was as graceful and beautiful as Atsuko. 

            "Birthday," she snorted. "That's a laugh." 

            She tied the band on tightly, picked up her small back-pack and walked out of the girls' ward. She held her head high and met none of the other girls' eyes. Just as she was about to walk out the door a shoe hit her in the back of the head. Atsuko spun around and caught a tell-tale follow through as the girl's arm retracted. Atsuko's legs spread slightly as she took a fighting stance. 

            "So. Cynnthia. I take it you want a goin' away present, eh?" Wiggling her index finger, she taunted the shoe-thrower.

            Cynnthia looked a little frightened but set her jaw and stood up. She couldn't have been more than fifteen and was thin as a rake. Her grey hair was pulled up into two pig tails which reached the middle of her back. She assumed a similar stance and nodded her head. "I couldn't let you leave us without saying good-bye properly, Atsuko!" Cynnthia charged at her. 

            The other natives cheered Cynnthia on. The three alien girls sat on their beds and watched silently. Cynnthia and Atsuko exchanged a series of punches, all of which met with blocks. The PA called Atsuko's name again, this time more emphatically and broke her concentration.'What am I doin', messin' with this stupid girl, I'm outta here!'In the moment she was distracted, Cynnthia landed a solid hit to her cheekbone. The natives went wild. 

            "All right, that's it. I'm done playin' with you." She jumped and spun, connecting a roundhouse kick with the side of Cynnthia's head, then followed through with a right hook that sent the girl flying. She landed in a heap in front of her fan club before they could stop cheering. The sudden upset left them speechless. All the girls stared at the now unconscious Cynnthia. Atsuko put her hands on her hips and bowed to them. 

            "Love to stick around and see how much pain she's in when she wakes up, but I gotta run. Seems it's my day to get out of this lousy orphanage, so, ta-ta!" She shot them a cheesy grin and held her fingers up in the victory sign. The three alien girls applauded. Atsuko bowed a few more times to them and blew kisses to no one in particular until the applause was stifled in a collective gasp.         

            Atsuko looked to the three alien girls and followed their eyes to what made them stop their adoration. Standing in the doorway was the matron. She seemed to take up the entire space provided for the door. She did not look pleased. 

            "Atsuko Aoi?" she didn't part her teeth as she spoke. "Come with me."

            The matron stepped aside to let her pass. Atsuko adjusted her bag, shrugged her shoulders, smiled, waved to the alien girls and walked out the door. 

            The matron literally kicked her out of the orphanage. She went flying out the door and bounced three times down the stairs, once on her head. Atsuko landed on her butt on the street. She stood up, rubbed her head and brushed off her red, loose fitting pants.

            "Ya coulda kicked my ass in the hallway, you.. you.. battle axe!" She shook her fist at the now empty doorway. Pain rippled through her arm and made her wince. "I coulda been seriously hurt," Atsuko complained until the image of Cynnthia flying across the room popped back into her head and made her smile from ear to ear. 

            "Heh. I have been waiting so long to do that! Ooh, that felt gooood." She hooked her thumbs in the straps of her back pack and walked away from the place where she had lived for as long as she could remember. 

            *

            Night came to the planet Cymm after the setting of the second and closer sun. The stars began to pop out one by one and the temperature dropped considerably. Atsuko finished eating her cheap noodles and threw the container away in a nearby trash receptacle. She rubbed her arms and shivered. 'I'd better get a place to sleep soon.' Reaching into her pack, she pulled out the money the orphanage had given her. There weren't even enough credits left to buy her next meal. Atsuko stared at the change, dumbfounded. 'If they wanted to kill me, why didn't they do it years ago! Woulda saved them the trouble of..'

            Her thoughts trailed off as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Early evening in the streets of Acathi was just as dangerous as the wee hours. She knew that much from eavesdropping on the attendants at the orphanage discussiong this or that person they knew who was attacked the night before. Atsuko guessed there were three sets of footsteps, but one had a limp. She caught a glimpse of them as she began to walk away and her suspicions were confirmed. She walked at the same pace for two blocks and discovered much to her chagrin that she had been heading down a blind alley. 

            "Shit," she muttered. "Pay the hell attention, Suko." She turned to face her pursuers. 

            They were obviously surprised to see her turn so slowly toward them with such an unaffected look on her face. They were all big men, probably in their mid-twenties, and all Cymmlings. One slowly and repeatedly slapped his palm with a club. Although usually used for playing the national sport, the club had of late been a favorite of roving thugs not permitted by law to carry guns. The other two menaced her with their fists and evil grins. The club-wielder sneered and addressed her. 

            "Allo allo allo. What have we here?" He took two more steps towards her. 

            "Um, a lone girl?" Atsuko couldn't help but use sarcasm, the guy practically begged her to with a line like that! She bent her knees and stood her ground.

            "Funny. Lets see how much you laugh after we're done witcha, alien bitch." He motioned to his buddies. "Get'er."

            The unarmed men came at her from the left and right, stupidly charging directly at her. She jumped up and spread her legs in midair. Both of her feet (and the weighted training shoes she mopped floors for months to save up for) found a jaw and created a lovely, dull, double-thud. She landed gracefully just inches from Club. His buddies landed where she had been standing. 

            "Ha. Ha," she practically spat the words at him.

            He growled and swung the club as if a ball were headed for him. She calculated the swing and dodged it easily but neglected to take into account just how long the other two would stay down. As she jumped to avoid the club, Right reached up and grabbed her foot. He yanked her down as the club swung by. It connected with her shoulder. Atsuko cried out briefly before Left got up and held her arms in one hand and her mouth in the other. 

            "Good job, gentlemen," Club commended his partners. He approached Atsuko and pulled a gun out of his pocket. "Let her go."

            "But, boss. You could get nicked for that!" Right hesitated.

            "'Boss'. Hmm, yeah, that's me, isn't it? Do what I damn well say!" 

            The men released her and she shook them off. Atsuko glared at the boss.

            "I hate how we do it. I wanna be alone for once. And if I wanna be alone with a woman I'll do it! Understand!?" he screamed at his henchmen and they backed off. 

            Atsuko was visibly shaken. She stared at the barrel of the gun and began to panic. She wasn't used to being in this situation. She could take on any of the children at the orphanage, boy or girl, but face to face with a weapon of this kind of destruction, her thoughts became clouded with fear. She couldn't think of a move to make. All she could see in her mind's eye was the laser that would fire out of the gun and pierce her. As the boss approached her she became angry at herself for panicking. 'I can think of a plan. So what if I get a little fried? I gotta do something! Come on! THINK!!!'

            Her frustration met her fear and boiled over. She squeezed her eyes shut, thrust her arms out in front of her and screamed. She felt a wave of energy course through her bones. It seemed to come from her feet, or the ground below, and rush up her spine and down her arms. Atsuko opened her eyes in time to see what looked like pure electricity shoot out of her fingertips and consume the boss. Her scream mingled with his until he exploded. His buddies looked on in horror as bits of their boss flew away from Atsuko. The blast was short and ended before the last pieces of flesh hit the ground. 

            "Oh snap!" cried Left. Right was too busy soiling himself to be bothered with expletives. Left grabbed Right and began creeping around the stunned Atsuko. She stood with her back to them, facing the mouth of the alley. Atsuko stared back and forth between the mess in front of her and her fingertips. They sneaked around, sidling up against a wall to avoid stepping in the boss. Half way around it, Left stopped to throw up. Atsuko noticed them finally and weakly tried to get them to stick around.

            "Hey.." In a daze, Atsuko lifted her hand up and tried to beg them to stay with her. They saw this motion, shrieked in terror and bolted from the scene. She looked back down at the blood and bits before her and began to hyper-ventilate. 

            "Ok," she huffed, "what the hell just happened?" Atsuko turned her hands over and stared at her palms and fingertips. 'Not a mark on them.' She slowly came to her senses. "I gotta get the hell out of here!" She inched her way around the glop as Left and Right had done and jogged away from the scene. 

            Atsuko stood on the corner she had counted her change on only a quarter of an hour before and hugged herself in the cool, evening air. "But where'm I gonna go?"


	2. One

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension   
  
by Aoi Kami Sarah  
  
**

**Chapter One**

            On an island, inside a small house in the middle of a wide clearing, surrounded by juniper trees and the occasional round topped mountain on the planet Cymm, Gohan sat at a table reading a book. The warm climate sent a soft breeze through an open window and tousled his long, wild, black hair. He turned the page. Outside the house, its owner, Master Fukai, a short, elderly, three-fingered native practiced the ancient discipline of tai-chi alone. In the distance a huge, brilliant burst of light flashed. Fukai continued his moves regardless as the sound of an explosion met his ears. Inside, Gohan looked out the window dreamily then back down at his work in the same manner. A few moments after the blast a girl walked towards the house. Her clothes were tattered and her face was grimy. She didn't look happy. 

            In the few weeks she had been at the camp, Atsuko hardly ever looked happy. She stopped short of the old man and waited until he opened his eyes.

            "Yes, my dear?"

            With folded arms and knitted brows, she attempted to explain herself. "I can't do it," she hissed through her teeth.

            "Yes you can, you just haven't tried hard enough." Her master smiled. "It takes time, patience and practice to master." This bit of advice rapidly turned her face pink.

            "I have!" she insisted. "I've pushed and pulled and breathed and held my breath! I've meditated and I've screamed! I've even prayed that it would just farking work!!!"

            Her long blue hair, as if caught by a wave of static electricity, seemed to stand at attention. Her master appeared unmoved and waited for her to finish. Gohan emerged from the house to see what the commotion was all about. He laughed out loud at her red face and animated hair.

            "What do you think is so funny, hero-boy?" she growled.

            "You should see yourself, Atsuko! Ha ha! What's bothering you TODAY?" Gohan leaned on the door frame and flashed an amused smile at her. 

            Fukai turned to him and explained, "She can't seem to get a hold on the Aphex Shred technique. Perhaps you could give her a hand, Gohan?"

            "Sure, I don't see why not."

            Atsuko's hair doubled in size. "I'd rather have Heihei teach me to pull my own teeth!" 

            Fukai's pet pudit poked its big, pink head out the window and made a sad, squeaky sound.

            "Aw... It's ok, Heihei, she didn't mean it!" cooed Gohan.

            Atsuko shot an icy glare at the creature and it shrank back inside with a short, frightened 'meep'.

            "That's not very nice! You should apologize to Heihei. You hurt its feelings!"

            "Oh, give me a break! You're a true hero! Even to pudits!" Atsuko gestured in the direction of the empty window. 

            Fukai furrowed his wrinkled brow and sternly advised his pupil. "Atsuko, I might be one hundred and fifty years old, but your insults do not fall on deaf ears. I want you two to work out your demons, or one of you will have to go!"

            Atsuko was shocked speechless and became a little embarrassed that she upset her master. Gohan, feeling he was innocent in the matter, protested.

            "Go out to the valley and come to terms with the fact that you will have to play nice if you want to remain here," Fukai commanded. 

            Atsuko's humility could not stand up to her pride. "You want me to kiss and make up with this mama's boy? I will do no such thing!"

            "All right then, spar each other! That will decide who should stay and who should go."

            She started to march to the secluded valley. Fukai simply bowed his head to show the finality of his command. Gohan shrugged and jogged after her.

            They were silent until reaching the vale, out of sight of the little house and their frustrated master. They came to a clearing and instantly Atsuko began to loose her anger on him. She bent over slightly, hands on her hips and let it out.

            "Just because your daddy is some puny planet's strongest fighter doesn't mean that you get to have everything your way! You're going to have to fight me for Master Fukai!"

            "Just because I was raised in a good home doesn't mean that I'm any less deserving of Master Fukai's training! And you think I'm spoiled?" He tried to keep a degree of levity in his voice, but it was getting hard to retain his dignity in the face of her insults.

            "Oh! You're calling ME spoiled now? That's the last thing you'll say for a week! I'm gonna hurt you good, hero boy!" She placed her palms together and focused the electrical energy out of the air around her hands. When she separated them they glowed white with power.

            Gohan set his jaw and clenched his fists, ready for her attack. She screamed and hurled the electricity at him. He blocked the shot, but felt its force reverberate through his body. He growled and recovered. Gohan back-flipped away from her three times and countered her next blow with one of his own. Fukai and Heihei listened to the racket and watched the occasional glow of a power attack from the house.

            "They kill each other?" asked the pudit at Fukai's feet.

            "I sincerely hope not. I'd be out of a job!"

            An hour into the fight, Gohan started to get tired. Atsuko took a few hits to the back and legs, but her anger and resolution fueled her. "I have to train with him!" she shouted in reply to Gohan's occasional plea for a truce. "If I beat you, he'll see that I'm the better student and you'll be sent packing!" She dodged a Kamehameha and moved in after the attack quicker than Gohan could defend himself. She slammed her elbow into the groove between his should blades and he crunched to his knees. She back flipped out in front of him and left-hooked him under the jaw. He fell heavily backwards with his feet still tucked under him. He groaned loudly. Atsuko put her foot on his neck and powered up. A sphere of electric energy surrounded her right hand. 

            "Say good-bye, hero boy!"

            "I thought you were here because you felt bad about killing someone. Why do you want to kill me now?" Gohan managed to croak.

            "Huh?" She held her place.

            "You let that thing go, I'm toast! I know you don't want to kill, Atsuko, please, don't do it!"

            She screamed at him defiantly and prepared to let her manifest anger fly. Suddenly, she stepped off of his neck and her scream mutated into a wail. She hurled the blast skyward and it exploded miles up like fireworks. Spent, she sank to her knees facing away from the fallen Gohan. 

            "What am I doing..?" Atsuko hung her head. Her hair wafted around her in the early evening air. "I just need his training so badly. I'd do anything.."

            "Talking sometimes works more effectively than punching and kicking." Gohan pushed himself up on his elbows. "Please, Atsuko, work with me rather than against me.."

            She turned her head toward him a bit. "Why are you so nice to me? I'm a monster!"

            "No, you're not! The rough times you've had have made you think that's what you are. Talk to me. Trust me. I don't want to make you go."

            She looked at the ground with a lost expression. "I've been alone my whole life. I don't know how to deal with other people. Most people take one look at me and treat me like garbage just because I'm an alien." She pulled at her hair. "You're lucky you look kinda normal. The people here aren't too friendly towards aliens..."

            This was the most Gohan had ever heard her say at once to him. He became engrossed. "It's not your fault that they can't look deeper. I know there has to be an Atsuko in there who no one has given a chance yet, who just needs a chance to breathe."

            "This is my chance, then?" she scoffed. 

            Gohan groaned and slowly stood up. "You decide that. It's up to you." He walked around to face her. He offered her his hand. 

            Atsuko pursed her lips and sighed. "All right, hero..." she stopped herself. "...Gohan." She took his hand but used her own strength to stand. 

            Fukai was anxious when they returned from the valley walking leisurely side by side in silence. He was surprised yet pleased to see that it had only taken them than an hour to come to an understanding. 

*

            Almost a year went by, and every day Fukai was a little surprised to see the young people who had such different backgrounds become close friends. In almost a year under his expert care and in cooperation with each other, their powers greatly increased. 

*

            Fukai sat one afternoon at a small round table on the lawn and sipped his tea. He watched his proteges spar in the distance. His pet pudit, Heihei rolled in the sun and prattled to itself like a large, pink baby. Heihei rolled over on its back and watched Atsuko and Gohan upside down.

            "They are real good! One cannot beat the other!" It resumed its frolicking.

            "Mmm, yes. But neither has even come close to their potential. They have many more trials before them."

            "You think this is good as they get?" The pudit stopped once more, this time on its stomach, facing Fukai.

            "No, certainly not. Gohan, son of Goku, the Earth's greatest champion, has far more power than his legendary father, regardless of his being half Earthling and half Saiyan." Fukai put his tea cup down and leaned towards his students.

            "And Suko?"

            "Because she is an orphan, I cannot be sure. Let us say I have a strong feeling about her."

            "You usually right." Heihei continued rolling, his curiosity satisfied.

            "Mmm."

            As they day wore on, Atsuko and Gohan fought farther and farther away from the house until they were in the secluded vale. Atsuko stood panting, bent over with her hands on her knees.

            "Getting tired?" wheezed Gohan.

            "Ha! Far from it!" She straightened up, jumped backwards onto an outcropping of rock and came at him again. The following series of attacks also ended in a draw. The two warriors-in-training sat a few feet from each other and gathered their strength for another round. 

            "Lets rest for a while," Gohan breathed. They sat in silence for a minute.

            "Gohan? Do you ever think that maybe you've reached your fullest ability?"

            "Nah, I'm still too young to have mastered everything yet."

            With her back to him, Atsuko tried to make herself clear. "No, I don't mean techniques and skill, I mean ability, power. Like, is there much more you can actually DO."

            "Obviously you think so?"

            "Sometimes." 

            Gohan crawled over to her and seated himself with his back against hers. "What are you really thinking about, Suko?"

            "Home."

            "Where's home?"

            "I have no idea," she paused and bit her lip. "The only thing that could help me find out, I don't like to show anybody. But, I guess I have to face it sometime." She touched her forehead. "I trust you Gohan. Don't tell anyone else about this."

            Atsuko stood up and began to remove the head-band she always wore. Gohan looked up at her. A large purple star was situated in the middle of her yellowish forehead. Gohan got to his feet to get a closer look.

            "Wow. I never knew you had that..."

            "I keep it hidden. Most people on this planet don't seem to like it very much." Atsuko bowed her head. "It's the reason I'm here in the first place. Remember, I blew a guy away who wanted to kill me because of it."

            "Oh yeah, that explains it.." Gohan looked at her with pity in his eyes, but quickly changed the mood. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, as a Sayian, I used to have a tail."

            "Really?" she smiled a little and put the band back on.

            "What are you doing?"

            "Covering this hideous thing back up."

            "Hideous? I think its beautiful." Gohan reached up and kept her from tying the band back on.

            "You.. you do?" Atsuko stood her ground and let him invade her personal space.

            "Yeah." He touched it with his index and middle fingers carefully. "Does this hurt?"

            "Mmmm, no..." Her eyes closed and a smile crept over her lips. Gohan didn't realize as he was petting the soft star that she was floating until she was several inches off the ground. 

            "Um, Suko?" He stopped touching her. "I don't mean to disturb you, but you seem to be losing contact with the ground."

            "What?" she replied dreamily. She opened her eyes. "What!? How am I doing that!?!"

            "You don't know? How am I supposed to know?! You're not using your ki energy at all!" Gohan stared wide eyed at his friend. She thrashed her feet and hands in the air uselessly. He laughed at her movements.

            "This isn't funny!" Atsuko curled into a ball and stretched out gingerly till she was in an upright position. 

            "No, its amazing! You're not even trying!" He used his ki to propell himself into the air and flew around her in order to observe her levitation from all sides. Her ability was clearly innate, but any instincts she might have had didn't seem to be coming to her.

            Atsuko slowly squatted down, just inches from the ground and leapt up towards the clouds. She rocketed away from Gohan with a nervous scream. By the time she came back down, it appeared as if she had flown all her life. She made several swoops around Gohan, laughing and plucking at his spiky hair as she did so. The last time, he was ready for her. He swooped up and caught her in mid-air. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him up into the sky with her. Their eyes met, ecstatic and gleaming. Their lips followed. Hovering in the air, thirty feet over the vale, Gohan and Atsuko fell in love. 

            Night came and went on Cymm, and the students had still not returned to the dojo. Fukai woke early to find his pudit waddling back and forth just outside the front door. 

            "What's got you up so early, Heihei? I didn't forget to feed you did I?" The old master scratched his practically bald head. 

            "No no. I was fed. Suko and Gohan not back yet." The little pink creature stared up at its master with glistening, sharp, beady eyes.

            "I'm sure they're fine. Probably fought their way far out and slept in the valley for the night."

            The pudit did not look re-assured. It continued to pace back and forth on its flipper-like legs. Fukai went back inside to fix breakfast. Finally, Heihei gave up his post for a snack. Just as he turned his back, Atsuko and Gohan appeared on the horizon; approaching quickly; flying in each other's arms. They landed just before the house and walked in the open door.

            "Good morning!" piped Gohan.

            "Oh! There you are. You had Heihei worried. How was sleeping in the valley?" Fukai flipped breakfast meats in a wok as he spoke. 

            "Uh.. kinda cold, but ok!" Atsuko smiled at Gohan and twisted the large man's ring Gohan had given her on her thumb. Heihei squinted at them and circled Atsuko. Gohan smirked back and turned his new pinkie ring (formerly Atsuko's) in answer. 

            "Something different about Suko." Heihei pushed his face at her crotch and sniffed.

            "Stop that! It tickles!" She giggled nervously and jogged around the table to avoid him.

            "Oh, leave her alone, Heihei! Can't you see she's had a rough..." Fukai slammed down the wok and began bellowing at Atsuko. "Ah! What's that!?!"

            Huge sweat drops appeared on both Gohan and Atsuko's heads. They jumped and began explaining themselves awkwardly, hiding their newly-wed hands. Before they could inform their Master that they had gotten married behind his back he continued to yell.

            "Have you always had that or is it just a clever tattoo!?" he pointed at Atsuko's head. "Come closer, let me see!"

            "Well, actually, I've had it all my life." Relieved, she allowed her master to examine her star up close.

            "Why didn't you tell me before? Are you ashamed that you're a Rasha?"

            "A what?"

*

            At that same moment, on the other side of the galaxy on Rashan, (a dark bluish planet a bit smaller than Cymm) eager, mostly middle-aged Rasha men watched a display screen. A 3D star map of the known universe glowed, illuminating their stern faces. One face was smooth. The map shifted on its axis revealing the best view of a point on the map that blipped with hope. 

            "That is not very far away," croaked one of the elders.

            "Not very well hidden, I should say," quipped another.

            "Why has it appeared now?"

            "Who cares," the younger man interjected, quelling the prattle of his elders. "The sooner we obtain the heiress, the sooner our position will be secure."

*

            "My dear, I'm sorry. I'm yelling aren't I? I get so excited over things like that, I'm sorry. Here. Sit." Fukai pulled a chair out for Atsuko at the table in the kitchen and sat beside her. Gohan stood just behind his new bride and listened attentively to his master.

            "I was actually going to teach you about alien cultures today, Gohan, and I was going to skip over the Rasha because no one knows much about them, including me!"

            "Well, what is known?" Atsuko practically whispered.

            "The people called Rasha live on a planet called Rashan. Despite its being only on the other side of the solar system, only a handful of visitors have brought back information about it. They say the Rasha are a very private people. They are easily identified by a large purple star mark like yours." The master paused.

            "That's it!?" Atsuko cried. "That's all anybody knows?"

            "Anybody but the Rasha themselves." Fukai squinted at his charge. "Unfortunately, I can't even tell you if it accounts for your powers."

            "Well, it explains at least one..." Gohan remarked.

            "Oh yeah. Check this out Master Fukai!" She levitated effortlessly over her seat. 

            "Oh! Well now that's something!" 

            "Come on, Suko, let's show him what you can do!"

            Atsuko smiled. She zoomed quickly through house and out the door.

            A short distance from the house, the master and his students tested Atsuko's ability. Gohan attacked her first. She could feel the oncoming attack more intensely than she could see or hear it. She was not only able to detect his moves out of her line of vision, but ultimately beat him. Fukai took her flight into consideration and altered his famous Aphex Shred technique for her. 

            She did a series of back flips, the last of which was a higher jump than the previous. At that point she enabled her power. Instead of the natural progression of the attack, which entailed halting the flips suddenly and blasting the enemy with an unexpected energy beam, she would spin in the air and shoot down attackers in all 360 degrees with her signature electric blast. Their practice was going extremely well until the space ship arrived.

            A boxy, grey, smallish, ugly ship winked in not twenty feet above them and 200 yards to the south. The air crashed around it, blowing Heihei clear across the lawn. Gohan, Atsuko and Fukai put their guard up and prepared for the worst.

            "Let me guess, we're not expecting anyone, are we?" Gohan bared his teeth.

            "Not the last time I checked!" The master crouched down a bit in an attack position.

            The hovering, unpainted craft slowly inched its way closer. It stopped with a jerk and a draw-bridge type door yawned open. Standing at the top of the revealed stair-case were three men in regal attire. Atsuko took a step forward. All three men had blue hair and purple stars on their foreheads. 

            "Lona Chogung, Rasha greets you!" exclaimed the middle Rasha. He was younger and dressed more elaborately than his cohorts. 

            "You mean me?" She pointed at herself weakly. "My name's Atsuko Aoi."

            The leader laughed lightly. "You may be called Atsuko, but your name is Lona." He slowly descended the stairs. "Beloved of the people, Heiress to the throne of Rashan."

            Gohan and Fukai's guard began to droop, but their attention was unwavering. 

            "I am Beksha Chonekken. We have come from the other side of the solar system to bring you home."

            The other two Rasha joined their leader at the bottom of the stairs. They did not stand on the ground. Chonekken gestured to the ship.

            "Our technology is a bit crude, so we would like to recommend that if you wish to join us, you decide soon. We do not know how much longer our ship will be flight worthy," he smiled thinly.

            "You want me to come with you? To go home?" She could hardly believe this was happening. "When can we leave!?" 

           "We? Oh. I'm sorry my lady, but, we only have room for one more passenger." Chonekken extended his hand to her.

            Atsuko clenched up. She looked from the Rashamen to Fukai to Gohan.

            "Can we talk about this, Atsuko?" Gohan furrowed his brows.

            Chonekken folded his arms. "All right, but do try to hurry."

           Atsuko held up her index finger. "Excuse us." The two walked into the little house, leaving their master with the aliens.

            "There's something fishy about this." Gohan put his hand on her shoulder.

            "Gohan! 'Fishy'? Unbelievable yes, but fishy? This is great! I'm finally going to know my heritage!" 

            "Are you sure?" 

            She put her arms around him. "Yes. I have to know. I won't be away long, how could I with you here on Cymm?" They hugged each other and kissed good-bye.

            "I love you," he breathed.

            "More than anything, I love you, but I have to do this."

            "If you're not back in three months," he added as they left the house, "I'm coming after you."

            "You'd better. If I'm gone that long, something's wrong."

            Atsuko shook her master's hand, patted the cowering pudit on the head and hugged Gohan one more time. The Rasha escorted her into the ship wordlessly. The door closed and the ship winked out of the atmosphere.

            The inside of the ship was just as bleak and ugly as its exterior. Everything, including the seats and control panel was grey and functional in appearance. Chonekken and Atsuko stood at the bridge while the other two Rasha manipulated the over-simplified controls. Atsuko began to blurt out several questions at once but before she got an answer, Chonekken gently placed his hand on the nape of her neck. Her defenses were slow to react to the apparently gentle intention of his hand, and so he was successful in arming the debilitation device. She cried out briefly and slumped into his arms.

            "I'm sorry I had to do that, but if I told you the real reason we need you, you wouldn't have come quietly." He lowered her to the ground. 

            Atsuko groaned lightly, her eyes half open. She attempted to right herself but found that all her energy was gone. She tried to speak, but the device prevented her from doing so.

            "Let me turn it down a little. It's terribly difficult to communicate with you in this state." He adjusted the settings on a fob he wore on his belt and she pushed herself into a sitting position. 

            "Why...?"

            "Because the truth would surely result in a battle, and we really do not wish to harm you."

            "What.. truth?"

            Chonekken squatted down in front of her. "You, my dear are the last of your kind. We Rasha are an endangered species, so to speak. There are no more female Rasha. We need you to survive." He pressed his index finger to her nose playfully. 

            She attempted to jerk her head away. "To survive? I'm not even royalty, am I?"

            "No, not really. I am the Emporer, last in line of the House of Hoshi. When we reach Rashan, you will be made my wife. From this point on, I am your lord and master."

            "I'm already married, Chonekken." Atsuko spat at his face, but missed. The spittle landed just between them. 

            He turned the fob back up again and her head lolled to the side. "So what?"

*

            Atsuko arrived on Rashan unconscious. She was dressed in a royal blue, antique wedding gown and wed to Beksha without ever even waking up. Later that day, she awoke in large bed in a large room which glistened with jewels and precious metals. Even the bed clothes were adorned with glittering, priceless gems. A woman wearing a simple, brown dress and white headband sat next to the bed with her hands folded. She had light blue skin and thick, dark violet hair. She was staring at Atsuko. 

            "Ugh.. this has gotta be a nightmare..." Atsuko struggled to focus on the woman.

            "You are awake?!" She wrung her hands.

            "Unfortunately. Where am I? What's going on?"

            "You're in the royal bedchamber. Lord Chonekken will be back tomorrow night."

            "To marry me?"

            "You've already been married."

            "I know, but.. Oh," Atsuko sighed and felt for Gohan's ring. "Where is it?"

            "You mean this, ma'am?" The woman produced the ring from a string around her neck. "I'll keep it safe for you."

            "Thanks," she sighed more deeply this time. "Wait a sec. Who are you?"

            "My name is Mira. I am your handmaiden."

            "But Chonekken said that I was the only one."

            "You are. I am not Rasha. I am Minzokuuenijimenshitanisora, the native people of this planet, and we are all slaves to you."

            Atsuko blinked at the strange word. "Slaves? Not to me you're not."

            "Thank you, Lona. That alone proves to me that you are not like them."

            "You know it. I'm not Lona anymore. I'm Atsuko."

*          

            Gohan woke the next day very early and began training with the dawn. Fukai was surprised to see his bookworm uninterested in the studies he began every morning. He found him out in the yard bench-pressing Heihei. The two hundred pound pudit was still asleep.

            "What on Cymm are you doing, Gohan?" 

            Fukai caught him off guard. Gohan stopped mid push-up and woke Heihei, who was equally confused about his whereabouts. He looked over the back of Gohan's head upside down into his eyes. "What you doing, weird Earthling? Put Heihei down!"

            "Sorry! I thought you wouldn't mind if I didn't wake you up," he laughed nervously and took Heihei off his back. He laid down and started sit-ups.

            "What's gotten into him?" Fukai asked his pet. He raised his flipper-like limbs in a shrug-like gesture.

*

            Atsuko tried to learn all she could from Mira while they waited for Chonekken to return. 

            "How did I get to Cymm? If I'm the last one, you'd think they'd treat me a little better!"

            "Hush," Mira comforted her. "If you want to get out of here, there are some things that you should know about your situation that will help you."

            Atsuko smiled. "Tell me anything that'll help US get out of here."  

            Mira smiled back. "Perhaps then, I should start with me. My family has been in your family's hands for centuries. The Chogung treated us so well, we felt like a part of it. Most Rasha wouldn't condescend to touch us, much less befriend us."

            "Why is it that the natives are subjugated like that?"

            "According to legend, the Rasha came here to Uenijimenshitanisora half a millennia ago and were so much more powerful than we who have no innate abilities that they easily conquered us. Eventually we discovered how to get the upper hand, and only seventeen years ago, overthrew them."

            "Which didn't work..." 

            "No. It did. But for less than four years. The coup is the reason you were sent to Cymm. "

            Atsuko shifted her body to more easily make Mira's eye contact. 

            "We knew that if we did gain power it wouldn't last. My people eliminated all female Rasha so eventually there would be no more of them to destroy worlds like ours. My mother learned of this plan only months before it was to be carried out. She told your mother and father. They worked together to send you to a place where they could find you after the coup and escape Rashan forever."

            Atsuko wept silently as her story was told. "What happened to them? Why didn't they just escape before the coup?" Tears ran down her cheeks.

            Mira held her hand. "They would have been followed and executed for it."

            "But, if the Rasha are like that, why weren't they killed for sending me away?"

            "They didn't know." Mira's voice wavered. "At the same time, my baby sister, Kiko died. You were, for all intents and purposes, dead." She stopped and closed her eyes. 

            "They did this for me? And now they're all gone?"

            Mira nodded. "Your parents and older brothers were killed in the uprising. My mother was killed when the Rasha regained control." 

            Atsuko squeezed Mira's hand tighter. "I came here to find my family, and they're all gone."

            "You have me, Atsuko. I care about what happens to you as much as my mother did."

*

            Gohan trained all morning. He wore Fukai out by lunch. His Master suggested Gohan try tai chi to calm himself down. Gohan sat down against the side of the house, disgruntled. Fukai guessed that his zeal was inspired by Atsuko's departure.

            "You ought to focus, Gohan, or you're apt to do something crazy. She'll be back soon."

            "I'm worried about her, Master Fukai. I can't help it..." He tried not to meet his Master's eye.

            "Well, after the three months she gave you, we'll hire a ship and go after her ourselves." Fukai patted his shoulder in fatherly fashion and went in for lunch. Gohan rose to follow him and looked up at the sky.

            "Three months, nothin'. I got a bad feeling about this."

*

            Atsuko slept through most of the afternoon. Cranked to full drain, the will harness tired her. She woke as the second moon set. 

            "Mira? You there?"

            A dim, bluish light faded on to show Mira curled up on the lounge next to the bed. She stretched and yawned. "Here." She looked to the enormous windows. "No moons..." Mira gasped. "Chonekken will be here shortly!"

            "Great." She struggled and tried to sit up.

            "No! Atsuko don't! It will only make you feel worse to fight the will harness. I am surprised to see that you can do what you can, but please, do not push it." Mira reached out and held Atsuko's arm down gently. She obeyed her handmaid.

            "Yow, that smarts. What am I supposed to do to beat this Beksha jerk if I can't even gather energy?"

            "I'm afraid that's the point," Mira picked up a satchel from the floor and began rummaging through its contents. "And I'm also afraid that in your current state, he can do just about whatever he pleases to you to assure the continuation of the Rasha race." She produced a small, folded piece of paper.

            "Oh no he won't!" Atsuko made to sit up and was unable to do so again. "I gotta think of something." She could feel the teeth of the will harness digging into the back of her neck. "Can't we just turn this thing off or take it out or something?"

             "If I touch it without Chonekken's access fob in my hand it will explode and kill you. We designed it that way."

            "We? You mean, your people made this thing?"

            "That little device is what enabled us to thwart the Rasha for those couple of years. We engineered and built all of their technology, actually. They wouldn't dirty their hands with such things unless their lives depended on it, which they now do." Mira unwrapped the packet. "I want you to take this." She showed Atsuko the small, greenish pill the paper contained.

            "What is it?"

            Mira's head jerked to the right suddenly as the bedroom doors were flung open. Chonekken entered, flanked by two burly guards. The pill was successfully hidden in her hand.

            "Have her prepared for bed then leave us." He stood looking from Atsuko to the rising of the third moon out the window and sloughed off his oversized, ornate cape.

            Mira spoke to Atsuko in the quietest whisper she had ever heard and in a grave and urgent tone. "Swallow. Sleep."

            She let her feed her the pill. "Thanks," she whispered back just loud enough for Chonekken to hear. He looked over at the women and grew impatient.

            "Leave us!"

            "Yes, Lord!" Mira bowed and exited backwards. The large doors closed dully behind her.

            "So," Chonekken approached the bed, removing his shirt. "Here we are: the happy couple." His bare chest was lean but un-worked; a sign of royal idleness.

            Atsuko's eyes began to close involuntarily. "Please," she breathed. "Don't do this."

            Chonekken removed the bedclothes. "Fortunately for me, but unfortunately for you, I have no choice." He hardly noticed that she lost consciousness.

*

           A week passed in similar fashion. One day, Chonekken commanded Mira make a physical assessment of his heiress. The high lords and their leader waited outside the bedchamber. Inside, Mira performed the diagnostic. Atsuko lay on the bed, wide-eyed, shivering with anticipation. Mira's knowledgeable hand swept back and forth over her belly, feeling for the presence of an embryo. Both women were silent. Mira pulled her hand back into her lap. Her eyes met Atsuko's for a split second. Atsuko sucked in her breath.

            "No.."

            Mira went to the doors. She was hidden from Atsuko's sight as her head nodded the prognosis. Chonekken made his glee known.

            "Yes!"

*

            Gohan sat, lotus style in front of Fukai's house. His eyes were closed, his breath was slow and calm. Suddenly his eyes opened and he ran inside.

            "Master, I can't take it anymore. I have to go to her!"

            Fukai looked up from his tea. "So. Now are you going to tell me what's been going on between you two?"

            Gohan was silenced. "You know?"

            "Know? Yes!" he laughed lightly. "I have been waiting for you to tell me, and now you have."

            "She's my life."

            "Ah, young love..." the master smiled.

            Gohan cut him off. "She's the one." 

            Fukai nodded.

            "For a week now I've felt that there's something wrong. I don't know how and I don't know if I'm right, but..."

           Fukai stroked his chin. "I do not think that you are wrong. Even if you are, can it hurt to drop in on the planet Rashan, just to see for ourselves how things are?"

            Gohan and Fukai began making preparations for a trip to Rashan.

*

            Fifty of the highest ranking Rasha nobility lined the semi-circular banquet table in the great hall, and another twenty were seated at the center table which branched off from the middle of the curve. To their backs was a huge bay window; one hundred feet tall and made up of thousands of purple tinted panes of glass in a mosaic of organic and curved design. The landscape, though distorted through the strange glass, was made up of blackish, cragged mountains, silhouetted by the dark blue sky of evening. A fanfare was played by a dozen natives who flanked the entrance as Chonekken and Atsuko entered. The nobility, gathered to celebrate the rebirth of their civilization, stood in unison and applauded the couple to their seats. Atsuko shuffled along on Beksha's arm, her face twisted under the strain of the will harness, turned down slightly for the special occasion. She was seated, with the help of Mira at the head of the annex table. She sat bolt upright because of a strong corset which allowed her to retain composure without having to have the harness turned down dangerously low. The nobles sat down after their leader. Their eyes never left his wife. Mira began to serve the two royals their drinks.

            "See, my pet, how they all adore you!"

            Atsuko had already noticed. "Adore," she grumbled, "they look like a bunch of vultures."

            "How perceptive you are! They know as well as you and I that the only way our race is to survive is through you." Chonekken nodded his ascent for Mira to serve him a dark green beverage and sneered at Atsuko. "Each noble will have his chance, according to rank, of course." 

            Mira watched Chonekken's face, horrified while he spoke, not the glass she was pouring into and it overflowed, spilling the cold liquid on his hand. He shouted, leapt out of his seat and reached out to grab her. His fingers just grazed her head as she tried to jump out of the way. He came away with only her white head-band in his clenched fist. She lost her balance and fell to the floor. In the middle of Mira's forehead was a pale, purple star-shaped mark. Atsuko tried to bolt out of her seat, but was kept down by the harness. She cried out in pain.

            "What's this!!?" Chonekken yanked Mira off the ground by her collar. He might not have been a fighter, but he was strong enough to hold a 120 pound woman several inches off the ground with both hands. Mira's star told all. "Half breed?! Who was your father!?!" He shook her violently. 

            Mira would have screamed if she wasn't being choked. 

            "Tell me!"

            "Ch.. ch.. ch.." Mira sputtered as she was shaken.

            "Tell me now!!!" 

            "Cho.. gung."

            Both Chonekken and Atsuko said 'what' at the same time. Atsuko repeated the name and clenched her teeth. 

            "Ramesh Chogung?!" Beksha became enraged at this and freeing one of his hands, he threatened Mira. "If he was still alive, I'd have him executed! For this disgusting impurity you will die!"

            Atsuko screamed and forced her arms to obey her. She ripped the harness out of her flesh and threw it as far from herself she could. It exploded in the middle of the banquet table, blowing several feet of food, candles and guests away with it. Instantly, she recovered her power. Before Beksha could react to her scream she had him sprawling on the floor from a quick blast to the back. Mira fell from his grasp and reached up to her. She held on to Atsuko's waist as she faced the remaining 60 some-odd guests who were all preparing to fight. 

            "Nobody messes with my family!" Atsuko powered up immensely with her arms crossed over her chest. She screamed and uncrossed them. The blasts that emitted from her hands looked like waves of power. It took the waves a fourth of a second to crash into the furthest targets. All 71 Rasha were zapped by the waves; stunned by the first one and floored by the second. The sisters took a moment to assess the scene. 

            "Aw yeah! I wasn't sure if it would actually work!" Atsuko beamed.

            Mira was slack-jawed. "How did you do that?!"

            Chonekken twitched on the floor just in front of them. The native servants cheered. 

            Mira let go of her and floated. "We have to get out of here, it is our only chance. Follow me!" Her sister zipped through the doorway they had come in. Atsuko followed, a little bewildered but excited. They darted through fortunately vacant hallways to the hangar. Mira chose the small ship that had brought Atsuko to Rashan. 

            "Wait!" Atsuko stopped before getting in. She began powering up and glowered in the direction of the five other ships in the hangar. Mira yelled down from the ship's door.

            "No! The disruption in the magnetic field will be so great it will render our ship useless!"

            "Oh. Thanks for the info." She leapt up into the cockpit and closed the door behind her. "Know how to fly this thing?"

            "Sort of. We designed the tech fairly user-friendly for the Rasha." Mira pressed a large red button and the ship performed several tasks including starting the engines and opening the hangar door. She shrugged.

            "Well, that's a relief!" 

            The ship winked out of the atmosphere and hurtled itself towards Cymm.

*

            Gohan paced near the speaker of the telecom. Really bad hold music twittered out of the tinny device.

            "I can't believe I've been on hold for a half an hour! I want to be there now!"

            Fukai nodded his head. "Yes, but we can't. People just don't go to Rashan. I must say I'll be surprised to find anyone willing to risk taking tourists to such a mysterious planet." He fed Heihei a large, fleshy, yellowish fruit and leaned in the door-frame. "You know, I am almost as interested in finding out about Rashan as I am in Atsuko's safety."

            A low buzzing sound entered their earshot. Gohan looked at the telecom. Fukai looked up out the door at the sky. "Hang up. She's here."

            "What?!" 

            Both men and pudit ran out to see the same ship which visited them almost two weeks ago wink into the sky and make an ungraceful landing, nearly crashing into the house. The men protected their faces from the debris and approached the vessel. The door jerked open. 

            "Gohan! I'm home!" Atsuko smiled wildly and flew out of the door practically knocking him over. They talked at once, explaining how much one missed the other until Mira tapped Atsuko on the shoulder. 

            "Atsuko, I hate to interrupt, but.."

            "Oh! Gohan, Master Fukai, Heihei, this is my half-sister, Mira."

            "Hello, pleased to meet you." Fukai bowed to her. Heihei hid behind him and waved a flipper.

            "Um, well, yes, but.. Atsuko.. The Rasha.." Mira bounced on the balls of her feet.

            "Oh yeah. The entire Rasha army will probably be here in ten minutes or so to try to take me back and I don't think they'll ask nicely."

            "What? What have we gotten ourselves into!?" Fukai staggered and spun around looking in all directions. 

            "Well, at least we have ten minutes to get ready for them!" Gohan clenched his fists.

            "I don't know about that, Gohan." Fukai pointed to the sky. "Looks like they sped."

            Mira grabbed her sister's arm and panicked. "We are doomed!"

            "Relax, Sister Mira." Gohan rubbed his hands together. "I have been waiting for this for weeks!"

            Atsuko ripped her ceremonial corset off with one hand and powered up. "Here we go!"                         

**End Chapter One**

**Glossary: **

Minzokuuenijimenshitanisora = People above Ground below Sky


	3. Two

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension   
  
by Aoi Kami Sarah  
  
**

**Chapter Two**

**WARNINGS: **This chapter contains some cursing and violence and some Japanese. There is a glossary at the end of each chapter.

            The sisters' hijacked ship lay smoking an inch from the dojo. Three other boxy ships winked into the air just above Fukai, Hei-Hei, Gohan, Mira and Atsuko. They prepared to fight.

            "Atsuko? Do they posses powers like yours?" Fukai asked.

            "I'm fairly sure."

            Gohan pounded his left fist in his right palm. He was ready to show his wife's abductors what he was made of. "Great!"

            "What are we going to do? We are doomed!" Mira panicked.

            "We'll see about that!" Atsuko took a couple steps towards the ship. Her ceremonial gown billowed around her. The door opened on the largest ship. Five Rashamen of varying ages emerged wearing sleek purple uniforms. Hei-Hei skittered off towards the house at Fukai's urging. Chonekken walked on air and shouted down at them.

            "Lona! Surrender immediately and we won't destroy your friends."

            "I don't think so, Chonekken!"

            He smirked. "Very well. This shouldn't take too long." He motioned for his flank men to attack. The five descended on them. They flew right over Atsuko and took on Gohan, Mira and Fukai. Gohan flew up and blocked two soldiers from tackling Mira. She panicked and fell down on her butt. Four Rasha were soon amidst a flurry of Gohan's punches. Fukai powered up and took a stance against the fifth man. The Rashaman flew down at him foot first, but soon found that his foot was held fast by the elderly man. Fukai cracked a silly smile.

            "Thought I was frail, did you?" He twisted the shocked Rasha's leg and slammed him face first into the ground. "Too bad."

            Atsuko flew into the midst of Gohan's fight. She grabbed a stray warrior by the shoulder, spun him around and uppercut him into the ionosphere. He recovered a hundred feet up and rocketed back down, powering up as he went. Chonekken saw this and barked at the soldier.

            "Do not harm Lady Chonekken, you fools!"

            Gohan's head snapped around. "Lady what?!" He paused and took a couple punches without even noticing. 

            Atsuko, embroiled in battle high above their heads, did not hear this comment, but Mira caught it. She saw in Gohan the tell tale sign of a protective temper. She decided that this would be a perfect opportunity to excite his anger and his fighting power. 

            "Gohan! He means Atsuko! He married her against her will!"

            Gohan's ki shot through the roof. Three Rashamen were blown in three separate directions. He rocketed out of the dust towards the mother ship. Chonekken was shocked. As they were fighting, one of the other ships deployed another twenty soldiers. He ordered them to attack. In the air, Atsuko's opponent fell limp to the ground. Fukai's did the same and lay motionless. The twenty men cut Gohan off and battle resumed. Mira saw the men barrel out of the ship and brought herself to her feet. Placing her palms together and closing her eyes, she began to chant. 

            "Do you think we can defeat so many air-born foes?" Fukai asked Atsuko.

            "Taoreru!" As soon as the words left Mira's mouth, fifteen of the twenty men suddenly lost their power of flight and dropped to the ground with surprised looks on their faces.

            "Whoa!" Atsuko spun around and looked at her sister. "Did you do that?!"

            "Yes, but it won't last long!"

            "Kame..." Gohan grinned and powered up more. "Hame.."

            The grounded soldiers began throwing what looked like miniature bolts of lightning, similar to Atsuko's trademark electrical attacks, at him. Dozens of shots whizzed around the half-Saiyan. 

            "Ha!" His beam shot through the mess of energy and caught three soldiers. There were still too many for Gohan to beat at once, so Fukai joined in, fighting back to back with his pupil.

            One by one, Atsuko sent four more soldiers to the growing pile of KO'd Rasha. Chonekken began to get nervous, but tried to hide it. 

            "So, you can fight. Isn't that nice. If you're going to put your health in jeopardy, then I will too!" He motioned for thirty more men to join in from the last ship. They began filing out.

            "Oh no you don't! Tomaru!" Mira commanded the first man out to freeze. He was stuck in place and blocked the men behind him from leaving the ship. She turned to their leader. "Chonekken, if you want to rub in your imminent victory, why don't you tell Lona's first husband what you've accomplished with her?!"

            Atsuko finished off the last man in flight and swung around to scream at her sister. "Mira? What are you doing?!"

            Fukai blasted another soldier and kept an eye on the goings on around him. He kept his mouth shut. 

            Chonekken threw his head back with an evil laugh. "Yes! Once this little skirmish is over Lona will return with us where she will save her race! She will have my baby!"

            Fukai back-flipped away from Gohan as he began to growl. Mira ran after Fukai seeking cover. Her plan was taking effect. Atsuko looked to Gohan pleadingly, but his eyes seemed to burrow through Chonekken. She dove down away from the ships and behind Gohan. 

            "What did you say?!?!"

            The stop-motion spell wore off and Rasha began to pour from the third ship. Chonekken realized his mistake and furiously commanded them to attack.

            "Destroy him!"

            "You son of a bitch!"  Gohan shot a huge beam at the third ship, blowing it and its soldiers to pieces. Fukai and Mira took cover in the doorway of the house. Shrapnel flew past them. 

            Chonekken grasped the edge of his ship as it was rocked perilously in the sky. "Retreat!" The few Rasha still alive fled back into the second ship. Atsuko swooped in after the blast and took Chonekken on.

            "Surprise!" She punched him on the side of the face sending him several feet away from his ship. She swung around under him and knee-slammed him in the back. His scream was quickly stifled. Flying in over top of him, she brought both fists clenched together down on the top of his head. This croquetted him back into the mother ship. The men from the second ship poked their heads out to see what was happening to their lord just in time to also see Gohan's second blast barrel straight towards them.

            There was only one ship left. Atsuko powered up. Chonekken made a last ditch attempt for his life. "How can you do this?! Lona! We are your people! Do you not want to see your kin prevail?!"

            "I am not Lona Chogung!" She powered up. The electricity in the air gathered around her entire body.

            He dragged himself to the edge of the door. "Then hear my words! You are nothing but an orphan whose family abandoned her and you will always be so!" 

            Fukai and Mira had come out of hiding. Gohan joined them on the ground. 

            Mira became angered. "As long as we love her, she will never be alone!" 

            Charged to the extreme, Atsuko screamed and let her rage fly at the mother ship. Her beam pushed the ship for a mile or so into the atmosphere before exploding it. 

            There was a strange silence after the blast. Then a sigh from Mira. Hei-Hei's jubilant, yet high-pitched shriek of victory broke the quiet and everyone started screaming for joy.

            "We did it!" Mira jumped up and down, holding the master's hands. Hei-Hei circled around them. Gohan turned to Atsuko just as she lost consciousness. She moaned and slumped towards the ground. 

            "Suko!?" Gohan rushed over to her and scooped her up before she hit. Mira stopped her dance and ran over to them. 

            "Let me." She inspected her sister. "Bring her inside."

            Fukai was already in the house opening doors for the invalid. Gohan lay her down on the bed she occupied next to his two weeks ago. He held her hand. She did not speak but clenched her teeth and closed her eyes. Her star wrinkled with her exertion. 

            "What's happening to her?" Gohan's eyes never left Atsuko.

            "She's pregnant." Mira continued her examination. "She will be powerless for a while yet."

            "But," he went on, still confused at his wife's pain and inability to speak. "I may be a guy, but I remember my mom wasn't this messed up when she had my brother, Goten." He turned to Mira for an answer.

            "Really? Hmm." She knitted her brows. "Well, how long was she actually carrying your brother?"

            "Ten months." 

            A large drop of perspiration appeared on Mira's head. 

            "That long!?" Fukai bugged out a little.

            "Yeah, why? How long does it take Cymmlings, Master Fukai?"

            "Six months!"

            Mira laughed nervously. "Well it takes Rasha three!"

            "Three months?!" Suko blurted out through her teeth. "Thank god!"

            "You have a little more than two left. Let me finish my examination." She ran her hands over Atsuko's slightly bulging belly with her eyes closed. 

            "Well, how is she?" Fukai was getting nervous.

            "Growth good. Stable, healthy I dare say. 10 fingers, 10 toes.." She stopped her hand suddenly and gasped. Her eyes popped open. 

            Atsuko gasped at her sister's action. "What is it?"

            "Is something wrong?" Gohan squeezed her hand.

            "Well, ah... It's healthy.. but.. eh.."

            "BUT WHAT?!" he growled and pushed a few blood vessels to the surface. 

            "Well, it has a.. a.."

            "Mira! Just tell us, please!"

            ".. a TAIL!"

            Gohan and his master fell over on their backs to the floor. Their feet twitched in the air. Atsuko let out a huge sigh and let her head flop back down on the pillow. "Mira! You had me so worried!"

            Mira arched a thin, purple eyebrow and was stunned speechless. Gohan recovered, jumped back up and kissed Atsuko's hand repeatedly. 

            "A tail! Woo hoo! Dj'hear that! All right!" He did a little dance around the room. "Master! We're gonna have a quarter Saiyan!" He held the old man's hands and they both jumped up and down, laughing.

            Mira was still silent, blinking at Gohan. 

            "Oh, I guess I didn't tell you Gohan's half Saiyan, did I? Oops."

            Mira looked to her sister incredulously and fell over backwards. 

*

            Two months later the gang was in the same room. Mira was positioned between Atsuko's legs. Master Fukai and Hei-Hei ran around with towels and hot water, doing more to hinder the birth than to help it. They were freaking out to the sound of Atsuko's screams. Gohan urged her on.

            "Push, push!"

            "I am pushing, Godamnit!!" 

             Master Fukai caught a glimpse as Mira navigated the baby's head out and he fainted. Heihei handed the towels to Gohan and took up fanning his unconscious master. 

            "Come on Suko, honey! Almost there!" 

            "Yeah? Almost to hell! Ahhhhh!!!!"

            "That's the way! A little more! Come on, push, 1, 2, 3.." Mira coaxed the contractions.

            "4, 5, 6, 7.." Gohan let his wife nearly crush the bones in his hand.

           "..8, 9, 10! All right!" Mira produced a screaming infant from the folds of the sheet. Its new-born face was bright red, in stark contrast to the blue of its fine hair and tail. Atsuko finished screaming and released Gohan's hand. The baby took up where Atsuko left off. The bundle was handed to its beaming father. 

            "It's a girl!" Mira announced. "With a tail!"

            "Master Fukai, wake up! D'ja hear!? It's a girl!"

            Fukai came to and shouted with glee. "Hey, what do you know? That wasn't so hard!"

            Heihei rolled his eyes and fanned himself. Mira tended to Atsuko. Her color was ashen and she struggled to lift herself up to see. Gohan and Fukai were pre-occupied with the newborn.

            "Mira..  What's happening to me now..?" 

            This obviously surprised the healer. She immediately began working her hands over her sister. 

            "No. No, not my sister! What can I do?"

            In the other room, Gohan, Heihei and Fukai were doing a little dance of joy. 

            "Gohan?" They were interrupted by Mira's gravity. Gohan handed his daughter to his master and ran to Atsuko's bedside. At this point, even her star was greyish in color. 

            "What's wrong?"

            "I'm sorry, my love. These things happen," she whispered. Mira began to back out of the room, shaking her head and looking down.

            "What? NO!" He glared at Mira. "Do something!"

            "It is too late." She stopped at the doorway and stared vacantly at Atsuko. "Fatal toxins are shocking her system. The damage is done."

            "NO!!" Gohan held her hand to his cheek and wept openly. Fukai entered slowly, followed by his pet. The Pudit hid partially behind the master and had what appeared to be tears in its beady eyes.

           "My baby. Let me hold my baby." She reached out weakly for the still screaming infant. As it was placed in her arms, the blue-haired, quarter-Saiyan quieted and looked up at her mother in wonder. It reached up a tiny arm, trying to touch the fading purple star. Atsuko bowed her head and kissed her baby's own pale, purple star mark. "Hello there. I'm sorry to leave you. I can give you only one more thing besides your life and my love. Your name: Akiko."

            Mira broke down and cried out loud. Her sister had named her niece after their long dead sister: the baby girl named Kiko, who's life ended so soon, and whose body had saved the infantile Lona Chogung. She rushed over to her sister's side and held her hand.

            Gohan scooped Akiko up out of her mother's arms and held her to his chest. "It's not fair!" he cried.

            "Life.. is not fair.. I'm sorry, my love." Tears stream down Atsuko's face. Gohan bowed over, still clutching the baby to him and kissed his wife good-bye. When he straightened back up, she was gone.

            "Atsuko…"

            Mira slumped down again by the side of the bed, buried her head in her arms and sobbed loudly. Fukai hung his head. He put his hand on the top of Heihei's head to comfort the shivering creature. Gohan stood up slowly and wiped tears from his face with his free hand. He crossed to Mira. She pushed away from the bed and sat on the floor. Gohan handed her Akiko. She took the child and stared at it, wide-eyed. She looked up to Gohan and watched him leave the room. She didn't ask him where he was going.

            Gohan walked away from the tiny house till the tears came again. Then he ran. He stopped at last when he got to the middle of the vale. There, panting from sobbing and running, he began to power up. The grass flattened down in a circular pattern around him. He began to scream. It started low, and as the ki built up, the pitch of his scream went up. His scream was piercing; a wail of complete morning. The air around him finally exploded as he lost control. The dust settled and he was still standing, his clothes dirty, but intact. Dust stuck to his tear-stained face.

            Mira was nursing a fussy Akiko with a bottle, still staring, bewildered at the squirming baby. Fukai was just leaving the bedroom. Gohan stared straight back through the door and caught a glimpse of Atsuko's sheet-covered body. The master closed the door behind him and stood in front of it. Gohan walked up to him.

            "You don't have to go in there, boy."

            "I have to pack."

            Mira finally looked up, puzzled. "Where are you going?"

            He turned and took Akiko from her. He stared into his daughter's blue eyes. He held her to his right shoulder and walked past Fukai into the bedroom. "Home."

*

            Goku and Goten exchanged blows out in the woods under the shadow of the mountain. Father and son leapt through the air and bounced off trees in order to land or block punches, kicks and ki-blasts. They were going about life as usual. It had been years since the great fighter and his family and friends had had to use their incredible skills to defend themselves or the planet, but they always kept in shape. Whether this was because they wanted to be prepared for the inevitable or whether, as Saiyans, they just couldn't help it was uncertain. Chi-chi stepped out of the little dome-shaped house's front door. 

            "Gooookuuu! Goootennn! Lunch is ready!" 

            They stopped their sparring in mid-air and looked at each other gleefully. 

            "Race ya back!" The boy took off flying. His father laughed and zipped after him. 

            They sat at the kitchen table, wolfing down bowls of rice and heaping fish and game dishes. Chi-chi put another dish on the table as each one was emptied. She smiled at her family but suddenly the shadow of a wistful look crossed her face. She looked to the empty chair across from Goten.

            "Was' wrong, hun?" Goku managed to notice her change in mood between mouthfuls. 

            "Oh," she sighed, "I just miss Gohan, that's all."

            "You say that every day," Goten commented.

            "Well I miss him everyday!" Chi-chi yelled at her son. He was used to her out-bursts and simply mumbled an apology. He turned his attention to fighting Goku for the last dumpling. Their chopsticks clattered faster than the human eye could see, but the dumpling evaded them both. Chi-chi hovered her sticks over the melee. At the right moment she popped them into the middle of the fray and came away with the dumpling. By the time the men stopped fighting, she had already consumed the treat and was up getting drinks. They shrugged to each other and found something else to gorge themselves on. Chi-chi finished pouring out tall glasses of iced tea and turned to take them to the table. Goku and Goten leapt to their feet as the glasses and tray crashed to the floor. 

            "Chi-chi! what's wrong?"

            She was staring at the doorway. Goku spun to see what had startled her. 

            "Gohan!" the woman cried.

            "Gohan!" They rushed to their son and brother. Chi-chi remained frozen in place. Gohan offered his free hand to his kin. 

            "You're home! What, you're so smart you graduated early?" Goku chuckled, but his humor had very little effect on his usually jovial son. Goten investigated the bundle in his brother's arm.

            "Not exactly."

            The bundle moved and babbled lightly as Goten poked at it. "Uh, dad.." The boy tugged Goku's shirt and indicated to it.

            Gohan turned the bundle around and showed his family the beautiful baby it contained. "This is my daughter, Akiko."

            Chi-chi fainted.

*

            In a desolate castle in the outermost reaches of the Great Wastes on the planet Cymm, a short, greyish man with balding, silver hair stroked his long, braided mustache. 

            "At last!" he cried with a calm sort of mania. "Now that the boy is gone there will be no-one to stop me!" 

            A large bookshelf towered behind him, filled with dusty volumes, jars, jugs and bottles of different shapes and sizes, containing hundreds of unmentionable ingredients. The man was reading a large, illuminated book. He looked up and raised his arms. Water in a shallow pool in front of him began to boil. It glowed bright pink and frothed violently. He chanted in a mysterious tongue. 

            "Umarekawari. Hoshi-wakai josei..."

            A form emerged from the water. He furrowed his ancient brows further with concentration. It thickened and took the shape of a woman. As the features became defined, the wizard smiled wider and wider. Soon, she was complete, right down to the yellow tank-top and purple star-mark on her forehead. Atsuko's body hung limply, suspended in mid-air over the tumultuous liquid. She moaned lightly, trying to fight what was happening to her. He motioned to a bottle on the bookshelf and it floated into his grip. Uncorking it, he chanted loudly.

            "Tasu kore akurei!"

            A black substance which seemed like an amalgam of smoke and ink oozed upwards out of the bottle. It hovered for a moment in the shape of a balloon. What appeared to be two cat-like eyes glowed bright yellow in the midst of the inky creature. It bowed to the wizard and flew at Atsuko's body. Her eyes popped open as the thing was barreling towards her. She cried out in reaction to being brought back to life and at the horrible sight. 

            "Goooohaaaan!"

*

            It wasn't long before Chi-chi was up again and inquisitioning her older boy about his life. When she learned of Atsuko's death, she fell silent. She held her first grandchild close and stared into her mother's blue eyes. The baby cooed and smiled at her grandmother. 

            "All I could do was come home," Gohan concluded. 

            ".. For the Dragon Balls!" a light went on inside Goku's head. 

            Gohan nodded. He had hardly cracked a smile since first seeing his family, but his father's unrelenting optimism slowly tugged at the corners of his mouth. 

            "All right!" Goten cheered. "Do I finally get to hunt them, Dad?! Huh?"

            "Sure kiddo, if it's ok with your brother."

            "Of course it is." He tousled Goten's hair and the corners of his mouth raised a little more. 

            They began their search by visiting the Capsule Corporation headquarters in the Western Capitol. Bulma Briefs, president of the company, was doing what she loved to do most. The Son family found her up to her eyeballs in gadgets, gizmos, thingamajigs and thingamabobs in her private lab. She looked up at them through an eyepiece which made her eye appear ten times larger than it was. 

            "Hey gang!" 

            "Hey Bulma! Is Yamcha around?" 

            "Not today, the lazy S.O.B! He's away with my son for the next week at a 'convention'" She used her fingers to make quote marks around the word convention. Goku laughed. He knew that although Bulma and Yamcha had a child and cared for each other, their relationship was always on-again-off-again. Yamcha worked for Capsule occasionally doing Kami-knows-what, but would probably never marry her. He didn't even seem to have enough ambition to sponge off of Bulma. He didn't spend a lot of time on the premises and was frequently seen driving an older model Capsule car. 

            "We need a special favor." Goku winked at her. Goten jumped up and down impatiently but kept quiet. She was surprised to see the entire family at once. "Oh wow, Gohan! Haven't seen you in a while! How's school?"

            "He's home now," Chi-chi answered for him. Akiko fussed in her arms. Gohan took her from his mother and she quieted immediately. 

            "What a cute.." Bulma began. She flipped up the magnifying lens up to get a better look at the scene. "..baby? Don't tell me it's yours?!"

            Gohan cradled his daughter and nodded. She babbled lightly. 

            "Where have I been?" Bulma marveled at the baby girl. "Where's her mother?" She stroked Akiko's soft blue hair.

            Gohan furrowed his brows. Chi-chi began to cover for him again, but he cut her off. "I'd like to borrow the Dragon Radar from you, Bulma."

            "Oh," she realized. "I'm sorry, Gohan." She turned and rummaged through a large box of doohickies. "Of course you can borrow it. It's in here somewhere." Bulma tossed parts left and right  looking for the device with which one could locate the legendary Dragon Balls. Goten tried to peek into the box, dodging the odds and ends which Bulma lobbed over her shoulder. 

            "Aha!" She finally emerged victorious. The radar device was nestled in a smallish, unmarked cardboard box amidst packing peanuts. Gohan handed the now sleeping baby back to his mother and examined the instrument. 

            "There it is, guys. Boy. It's been a while since we used this thing, huh Son-kun?"

            "I'm kinda glad we haven't, Bulma, to be perfectly honest."

            "Yeah. We've had a break the last ten years or so.." She shook her head and mumbled to herself. "Sheesh. I'm getting old." She handed the box to Gohan and rested her fists on her slim waist. She may have been almost fifty, but she hardly had a wrinkle and not a grey hair on her head. Goten vied for a turn to hold the Dragon Radar.

            "Thanks, Bulma," Gohan handed it at last to his antsy brother.

            "Wanna come along, Bulma?" asked Goku.

            "As much as that sounds tempting," she zoned back in from contemplating her age, "I think I'll stay here and wait for Yamcha and the boy to get back. Chi-chi, you and the baby can stay here if you want."

            Chi-chi looked relieved. "Thank you. We'd love to!" 

            Goku shook his old friend's hand. "Thanks a lot, Bulma! See ya later!" He began to run out the door after Goten. Chi-chi grabbed him with her free hand and 'reminded' him to kiss her good-bye.

            Goten cried out to the sky, "Nimbus!!" The yellow cloud swooped down at his command. Goku jumped into the passenger seat of the family air-car and waited for Gohan. 

            "I'll be back soon, Akiko. And when I come back, we'll be a happy family. I promise." He kissed the sleeping baby and his mother good-bye, saluted to Bulma and joined his father in the car. They took off after Goten who was already a quarter of a mile away, heading in the direction of the nearest Dragon Ball.

*

            Two weeks later, the amazing Son boys had managed to gather all seven balls together. They prepared to make Gohan's wish. In front of their house, Goku, Chi-chi, Goten, Trunks, Bulma, Yamcha and Gohan and Akiko were gathered around the familiar orbs. Gohan stood nearest to them. He set his jaw and made his wish. 

            "Shenlong! I, Gohan Son, summon you!"

            The air grew dark and the magical dragon appeared before them, filling the entire sky. 

            "Make your wish!" the intimidating dragon's voice rumbled like thunder. 

            "I wish my wife, Lona Chogung called Atsuko Aoi was alive!"

            There was a strange silence following Gohan's plea. The dragon twisted his coils in the air. After five or six seconds which seemed like an eternity to them, Shenlong spoke again. "I cannot grant your wish."

            "What?!" Gohan's jaw hung open. His face screamed his disbelief.

            "Choose another."

            Gohan gritted his teeth. A large vein stood out on his forehead. He turned to his father. "Why can't he do it?!"

            "I don't know! That's never happened before!"

            Everyone jumped as the dragon became impatient. "Do not waste my time, mortal. Make your wish!" 

            Gohan hung his head. "There is nothing else in this world that I want."

            "So be it."

            Shenlong curled up. The seven balls clustered around him in the sky. They shone brightly as they re-absorbed the dragon, split up, and shot off in seven different directions. Akiko began to wail in her grandmother's arms. Gohan took her, but she continued to cry. He walked away from his shocked family and friends.

            "I'm sorry. I know I promised." He kissed her head and closed his eyes. "It's just you and me now."

**End Chapter Two**

**Glossary:**

**Yatsu Warui: guy bad**

**Taoreru: fall**

**Tomeru: freeze**

**Umarekawari. Hoshi-wakai Josei: new embodiment star young woman**

**Tasu Kore Akurei: add this demon**


	4. Three

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension   
  
by Aoi Kami Sarah  
  
**

**Chapter Three**

            Gohan raised Akiko in his family's house peacefully for five years. She grew up under the watchful eye of her grandmother whose hair began to turn grey as soon as the child could walk. She was just as spunky as Goku had been as a kid. When Akiko began to walk, the family realized that it was necessary to keep track of her whereabouts; especially because she refused to have her tail removed. They couldn't get near her with the intention of severing the appendage before her star detected the malice and sent her into a fit of screaming, thrashing and carrying-on. Chichi attempted to remove the troublesome tail three times before declaring it off-limits. The poor human woman had a hard enough time raising two Saiyan boys; a girl was twice the work (as she often reminded her son) and gave her a new grey hair every day. Everyone in the house had to make sure that the be-tailed Saiyan girl remained indoors during a full moon. 

            They soon discovered just what kind of problem they would have to deal with when at three years of age, Akiko wandered outside on a clear night. The moon shone down, and her Saiyan blood kicked into overdrive. By the time they noticed that she wasn't in bed, it was too late. Gohan rushed outside to see his baby transform into a fifty-story, bright blue were-monkey. The Sons panicked for a moment while Akiko screamed. Before a plan of action could be formulated, she started to cry. Akiko sat down and rubbed her eyes with huge, hairy fists. 

            "Dada!" she wailed. 

            "Akiko?" Gohan was astounded. "Can you hear me?"

            "Yeah..." she sniffled.

           Goku and Goten looked on in amazement. Chichi had fainted as soon as she saw the giant, blue ape in her front yard. 

            "It's ok. Don't cry." He approached her and began to smile. "You look kinda funny, sweetheart!" he laughed and stroked her leg. She wailed louder. "Shhhh. It's ok, it's ok. Shhhhh." He tried to stop showing his amusement. "Do you know why you're so big and hairy?"

            "Nooooo…" Akiko hiccupped and sobbed.

            "Its because you have a tail and the moon's full. Remember, we told you to stay inside tonight?" Gohan's voice soothed and calmed his daughter. 

            "Yeaaaah.."

            "Well, this is what happens to us when we have tails in the full moonlight."

            Goten shook his head and blinked several times. "I don't believe it! She.. she.."

            "She can handle the transformation," Goku stated. "I never thought I'd see that again. This could be good to have in the family!" He thought back to his battle with the Saiyan Prince, Vegeta, and shuddered. If it hadn't been for Yajerobi, Krillin and Gohan, the fully coherent Vegeta Monkey would have destroyed the entire world. Gohan accidentally transformed that day, and fueled by his father's death he was able to gain some control over his actions. It was the severing of both Vegeta and Gohan's tails that ultimately annihilated the evil Saiyan. Goku stepped forward and tried to get his granddaughter's attention.

            "Kiko, honey?" 

            The giant baby opened its eyes and looked down at him. "Uh-huh?"

            "You know, we can't have you turning into a big monkey every month. It'd be real hard on yer Gramma."

            "I'm sorry!" she wailed her apology and started crying again.

            "Now, now. Don't cry." Goku levitated so he could get her to look at him. He touched her hand and she took them away from her face. "We're going to have to cut your tail off." 

            She threw her head back. "Noooo!!!" she screamed. Her tears flowed out of her eyes in arcs like a fountain. Goku flew back a few feet and scrambled for a remedy.

            "Um. Maybe I should handle this, Dad."

            Gohan slowly quieted his daughter. Goku and Goten were sent back inside the house. There was just no arguing with a twenty-ton three year-old. He stayed with her outside in the yard until the moon set and she returned to her normal size. She fell asleep in his arms. 

            *

            Soon after this incident, Gohan commissioned Bulma with a special order. The genius inventress developed a pair of goggles which would block the modified UV rays bounced off the moon and prevent any Saiyan from transforming. Akiko was given these goggles in capsule form for her fourth birthday. She kept this capsule on her person at all times so as to prevent any accidents and allow her to keep her treasured tail.

            *

            Goten became more of a big brother than an uncle to Akiko, due to the fact that he was only seven years older than she. He took on much of her training in the martial arts, allowing Goku to pursue his own intensive training alone and Gohan to return to his studies. For a brief period of time, her grandfather sent her (as he had both his sons) to study with his old master, Master Roshi. Over the course of a summer when she was four years old, she mastered the Kamehameha. For this she received a shirt emblazoned with the hermit's symbol, just as her mother had received a shirt bearing Fukai's symbol. 

*

            One afternoon, a week after Akiko's fifth birthday, Gohan was sitting outside under a tree reading a book. Goten and Akiko sparred lightly in the back yard. Goku did one-handed push-ups while Chichi hung heaps of orange clothes on the line to dry. Gohan finished a chapter and put the book down. He watched his brother and daughter. He thought how much she was already starting to look like her mother, even though her blue hair was cut to shoulder length. Her stance and movements were Atsuko's but her build was all Saiyan. Akiko may have been a little girl, but she was solid muscle. 

            She taunted Goten and dodged a swift kick. She lost her balance, fell, and recovered so gracefully that she faked Goten out. Akiko rolled away from him on the ground then sprung up suddenly and tackled him. Although she was little more than two feet tall, she managed to force her teenage uncle to the ground. He hit hard and got the wind knocked out of him a little bit. Akiko jumped up and began apologizing. Goten took the opportunity to try to fake HER out. He gasped and wheezed. Gohan saw what he was up to and smiled slyly. He had pulled this trick on his little brother years ago. 

            "Are you ok, Goten?" She took a few cautious steps towards him and crouched down to be at his eye level. He lunged at her suddenly and growled playfully. Akiko jumped straight up and dodged his attack. Goten grabbed air and sprawled as the child landed on his back. 

            "You were faking!" she scowled and crossed her arms. Gohan burst out laughing. His brother turned a bit blue at the bridge of the nose. Leaving the shade of his tree, Gohan went over to them. 

            "Nice try, Goten!" 

            Akiko hopped off his chest and beamed up at her father. He was about to tell her about the time he had used that same move successfully on Goten when he received an urgent message.

            "Gohan, can you hear me?" Mira's voice sounded as if it came from directly behind him. He swung around looking for the blue-skinned woman whom he hadn't seen in five years. 

            "Mira?!"

            "Gohan?" Goten got to his feet and gave his brother a puzzled look. "You ok?"

            "Yeah, I can hear you, but, where are you?" 

            "Who're ya talking to, Dada?" 

            "I am still on Cymm. I need your help."

            "What's wrong?" He looked up into the sky as if to peer at the small planet.

            Goten and Akiko looked at each other and made gestures indicating that Gohan was off his nut.

            "I am at a loss! There is a warrior attacking cities all over Cymm, Acathi is in turmoil.. just one.. hardly anyone lives to tell about it..!" she poured out her fears to him.

            "Slow down! Are you ok?" 

            "For the moment. I have a very bad feeling. There is something very sinister behind this force."

            "I'll be there as soon as I can."

            Mira paused before she spoke again. "Thank you, Gohan.Thank you."

            The telepathic message dropped and Gohan looked down at Akiko and Goten.

            "What was that all about?"

            "My sister-in-law.." He put his hand on Akiko's head. "..Your aunt. I have to go to Cymm."

            "The planet I was born on!" Her eyes widened. "I'm coming too!"

            Gohan and Akiko prepared to go to Cymm. Chichi protested that he leave the girl home. She felt that there was something serious in her son's voice when he spoke about returning to the planet. Akiko wouldn't hear about it. There were two things she would not be separated from: her tail and her Dada. They borrowed a ship from Bulma and left for the Dre'eam galaxy as soon as possible.

*

            They arrived on the continent and set down in front of Mira's house. She lived in a plain, squarish house with a sloping roof which was angled so that one slope was a third longer than the other. The sorceress opened the door on the longer-sloped side as the ship landed. 

           Mira wore a long, green robe with black, short pants, and her violet hair was now long and in a braid down her back. She was elated to see them, both because of the danger she had spoken of, and because she hadn't seen them in so long. 

            The family reunion was brief. Akiko stared at the sorceress: the only other person she had ever seen with a star like hers. 

            "You are so big!" She picked her up and marveled at her. "And strong! Has your father been training you?"

            "Yup. Grandada and Goten and Master Roshi too!"

            Mira saw her sister's eyes in her niece and quickly recovered her serious demeanor. "Gohan, thank goodness you have come! You have no idea what I have been through!"

            "No I don't! What's going on?"

            Mira put Akiko down and lead them in to the house. "I wish we had all day for pleasantries, but there is something you must know immediately, and I am certain you will not like it."

            As the young man crossed the threshold, a voice from outside caught his attention. It raised the hair on the back of his neck. He froze and began to back-track. 

            "Gohan..."

            "Huh?"

            Mira swung around too late, he was already on the other side of the threshold; the magic she had spent all afternoon weaving over the house to protect her guests couldn't save him. 

            "NO! Don't! Let me explain!" she stopped at the stone threshold and clutched at the air just short of his sleeve. 

            Gohan walked as if in a dream towards the source of the voice. Standing with her arms stretched wide, a sad smile on her face was Atsuko Aoi: the mother of his child and his only love. The image of the Eternal Dragon flashed across his mind. 'Of course Shenlong couldn't grant the wish, she's alive!!!'

            "Atsuko!"

            "Gohan, my love.." she smiled sweetly and beckoned him to come closer.

            "Gohan stop! She's not the same!"

            He paid Mira no heed. Gohan ran to Atsuko, overjoyed and careless. She put her hand on his chest as he embraced her and struck him down instantly with a contact strike of nearly 15,000 amps. He cried out and fell limp to the ground. Atsuko sneered down at him and raised her hand for the killing blow. Mira stood helplessly in the door-way, clutching her niece to her. Akiko stared at her mother and father. Never having seen anyone attack with malice before, she did not understand what was happening now. 

            "Fool. We've won. How easy this was!" the woman purred.

            Gohan forced his eyes open. "A.. tsu.. ko?"

            "Not anymore." She pointed to her star. It was inverted and yellow in color. Her eyes were dark and narrowed in an evil glare. Atsuko charged up. Stunned by the first electrocution and the bizarre circumstance, Gohan was defenseless. The bolt arched from her index and middle fingers and laced around him. In a moment it was done; Atsuko was gone and Gohan was dead. 

            Mira and Akiko ran to his side. The healer laid her hands on his smoking chest. It was hot, but still. His heart was jelly.

            "I tried to warn you, but I failed, Gohan I should have told you first thing! I didn't know until you were nearly here! I failed! I failed! I'm sorry!"

            "D..D..Dada?" Akiko grasped his hand and stroked it, looking for a reaction. When she got none she turned to her aunt with a pleading look. Mira sobbed lightly and shook her head. The child looked lost. She stared off in the direction she had seen the woman leave. She did not protest as her aunt scooped her up and flew off with her in the opposite direction. 

            A half an hour later they touched down on an island. Mira set the girl down and began to chant immediately. Akiko stared off at the ocean they had crossed. The second sun was still in the sky. The first, white sun created a bright, orange glow on the horizon, but Akiko did not squint. She turned to Mira as she finished her song. 

            "What are you doing?" the girl asked vacantly.

            "I have just done my best to seal off this island from her sight with my magic."

            "You can do that?" Akiko murmured.

            "I have been studying magic for many years. I only hope it is enough." She picked her up. "Come. We must speak with the old master."

*

            "You have succeeded?" Yatsu Warui arched an eyebrow over the spine of a book at his hit-woman.

            "I have. Gohan Son is no more."

            He slapped the book shut and clasped his hands together. "Excellent! You have done well, my Atsuko. You will be well rewarded when I take this pathetic planet. Once I have dominated all life forms here I will be free to carve my own civilization from Cymm's ruins!" Warui cackled wildly to the rafters.

            "What about the other aliens? The blue one and the girl?" 

            Warui stopped suddenly as if he hadn't thought that far ahead yet. "Oh. I have plans for them. Your sister I need. You will retrieve her tonight. I will be ready for her then."

            "And the girl?"

            "Your daughter!" he snorted, amused with the destruction of his enemy's family. "She is nothing to me."

            Atsuko's eyes shimmered black momentarily. She heard what he said. She had her orders.

*

            At the little house in the middle of the island, Mira and Fukai sat at a table. Mira cradled Akiko in her lap and Hei-Hei hugged his master's leg and sniffled. 

            "First Atsuko, now Gohan. Poor child."

            Akiko looked blankly towards the door.

            "Now she's an orphan.."

            "NO!" Mira hugged her niece's head to her chest. "Never! Not so long as there are people who love her!"

            "I'm sorry. Poor choice of words."

            "I know what you meant, I'm sorry for being short."

            They both stared at Akiko. The girl was oblivious.

            "What can we do to defeat this foe?" Fukai asked.

            "I have been studying his moves for a time. He is unpredictable, possibly insane and an incredibly powerful wizzard."

            "But can we fight him?"

            "Traditionally.. no. I would not recommend it. I have to get close to him. I have to find the source of his evil power," Mira lost her cool. "If I had only told Gohan right away! This might have been avoided.."

            Akiko broke her trance and shouted, startling the adults. "Teach me how to fly!" Mira stared at her, dumbfounded. "Teach me!" the child cried. "If you can do it like that, I can too!"

            Mira put her down in a daze. "You.. you have not been activated yet?.." She touched her fingers to Akiko's star and she floated above the floor. Within moments the little girl was perfecting the ability with laps around the room. Fukai ducked more than once.

            "What do you mean, activated?" he asked.

            "Some one else must start it. A Rasha cannot fly until someone places these fingers to the star organ." She held up her index and middle fingers. "I suppose Gohan felt she was not ready yet. Or, he did not know.."

            "I'm going after her!" Akiko startled them again.

            "What?! I cannot allow it!"

            "I've been trained by the greatest fighters in the universe! She killed my dada! I've got to TRY!"  Akiko hovered in the doorway, her tail bristled then coiled tightly around her waist. 

            "But child! She's your mother!" Fukai tried to reason with her. Both adults were on their feet.

            The five year old frowned. She looked years older suddenly. "Not anymore." With that she bolted away from the island. 

            "Akiko, wait!" Mira cried and leapt into the air after her. "Stay here," Mira called back to the Master. "It is unsafe for anyone who cannot defend against magic!" He and his pet ran out and watched the Rasha half-breeds disappear over the darkening horizon.

            Hei-Hei clung to his leg. "Now no one safe."

            Fukai set his jaw and put his hand on the Pudit's head. "Good luck, ladies."

*

            Akiko came to Mira's house and stood on the slanted roof.

            "I'm here! Come get me too!" she screamed into the night. "What are you, chicken?! Come on!!! Come on, come get me!!!"

            Mira touched down behind her a few minutes later. Akiko was on her stomach, weeping into the thatch. Mira scooped her up and took her inside. She did not resist.

            "Come, brave one. It is getting late."

            She laid her down on her bed. With a simple displacement spell, Mira removed her brother-in-laws corpse. She sat lotus style on the floor, chanting and memorizing spells. She wove layers of protection around the girl and the house. When she was done, Akiko was asleep.

            Mira stroked her hair. "I know I cannot stop you from doing what you must, but I can help you." She kissed the tiny star. "One day, when all this is over, I will make it my passion to teach you everything I know about magic. Sleep well, little one."

            The sorceress went to the doorway and looked out at the darkness. Her eyes adjusted to the pale moonlight. The moon the natives called Han was never full; half of it had been destroyed eons ago. Its jagged smile loomed huge in the sky, illuminating the flat landscape. 

            'Where are you, my sister? What has he done to you?' 

            Her thoughts were answered by the approach of a high-level ki. Mira furrowed her brows. "So, you can't figure out how to work her ability, can you, demon?" she muttered and prepared for her sister's arrival.

            The approach woke Akiko. "She's here!" she shouted and jumped up.

            "Stay there!" Mira demanded almost angrily. "It is me she wants."

            Akiko could almost see the energy wavering around the doorway. 'If I hadn't left the island, Mira wouldn't be in danger!' 

            "Come out, come out wherever you are! Sister wants to play!" called the evil Atsuko. Mira stepped through the door and into the dark. Akiko stood up against the side of the entryway, terrified. Mira screamed. The sound faded away as she was hauled off toward the castle. Akiko panicked, but her fear melted under her anger. 'No! Not again!' She ran out and bounded into the air after them. Her mother's ki acted as a beacon she could follow through the darkness. Goten had taught her to detect ki, something she had thought annoying until now, considering she could feel out her enemy's approach with her star. Now, as she tailed Atsuko and her aunt, she bit her lip anxiously. She hoped she would be able to defeat this woman. She hoped she could go home, soon. 

            The castle's spires protruded from the western horizon, jet-black against the brown-black sky. Dawn was only an hour away. Akiko wore a brave and serious face. She was coming up with a plan.

            Atsuko dipped down through a hidden entrance behind some overgrown hedge. Akiko followed, just out of sight. Inside the main hall, Warui was flipping through yet another book; his tiny form dwarfed by the immense volume on the podium. Atsuko entered and dropped Mira before the wizard who instantly spoke words which hurled her through the air. She slammed against the wall and shackles clamped down on her wrists. Mira began spitting spells at him. 

            "Cold iron, Miss Uenijimenshitanisora," Mira's name rolled off his tongue. 

            She stared at him, dumbfounded by his power and knowledge. 'Is he really insane?' she thought. 

            "And a binding spell to boot. As long as you remain in those chains, your curses will do nothing. So, relax!" he smiled at her.

            'Well, maybe he IS insane.' She stopped her attempts at spell casting and took up screaming. "Atsuko WAKE UP!!"

            "I'm sure she'd love to do just that! But my clever little demon keeps her mouth shut," he gloated.

            "So I am right. She IS in the there."

            "Oh yes. It's almost more satisfying this way. The demon keeps her down. Without her spirit, I couldn't use the body. Without the body, I couldn't have destroyed the half-Saiyan. If he lived I would never have been able to take Cymm! So you see it all works out!" he seemed satisfied with his perplexing plan.

            Mira scowled at the demon. "What do you get out of this, then?"

            "Life." it growled, a little more in its own voice than before. "A BODY!" It ran its hands over Atsuko's frame. "The power to bring destruction to this and all worlds!"

            Akiko pressed up against the wall in the corridor, waiting for the right moment. 'What if I can't beat her?' She began to panic slightly, but one of her father's lessons echoed in her head. 'The most important thing to do is try!'

            The wizard continued unraveling his twisted plan. "Once I have drained you of your magical energy I will posses all the power I need to make Cymm mine. Once I have this planet, the galaxy will fall to me, Yatsu Warui!"

            "Not if I can help it!" Akiko stood in an archway, arms folded, brows lowered.

            "What's this?" Warui seemed amused. 

            Atsuko laughed out loud. "Ha ha! You?! What are YOU going to do about it?!"

            "Defeat you."

            Warui began to laugh hysterically. Atsuko became serious. "So be it."

            "What? Oh, fine. Have your fun," he shooed her off.

            "Akiko! NO!" Mira protested. Akiko could not look at her. She powered up a little to show she wasn't to be taken quite so lightly and burst up through the ceiling. Atsuko shrugged and followed her. Rubble rained down where they had been standing. The wizard approached Mira with evil intent in his beady little eyes.

            Akiko drew her mother away from the castle proper and into a ruined courtyard. She landed gently on an outcropping of granite and took a stance. Atsuko landed a hundred feet away and assumed a passive stance and facial expression. 

            "Akiko, my daughter," she pleaded, "would you really fight your own mother?"

            The girl was unfazed. "I don't have a mother." She let her rage boil and attacked. Atsuko blocked every punch and kick she could deliver. The demon let her guard down as she paused to laugh at the girl. Akiko landed a punch to the gut and followed through with a roundhouse kick which Atsuko caught. She uppercut the child, sending her sprawling. Akiko landed awkwardly, but recovered quickly. 

            "THAT'S my little girl!!" Atsuko sneered. 

            "I'm NOT YOURS!"

            "Don't you recognize your mother?" she seemed sad.

            "I DON'T KNOW YOU!!" Akiko yelled, switching to power attacks. She cupped her hands to her side and started forming a ball; an amalgam of ki and electrical denki energy. "Inazuma-ha!" The ki/ball-lighting attack flew straight at Atsuko. She smirked and prepared to easily block it. Akiko wrenched her arms suddenly, using the Souki Dan technique Yamcha had taught her. It swooshed around the demon and nailed her in the back. Atsuko's own power-up cleared the cloud of dust. She delayed her attack and pretend-pleaded again.

            "Akiko, baby? Why are you doing this? Join me and Yatsu and rule the universe!"

            "Never! YOU KILLED MY DADA!" She pushed her Rasha electric attacks aside and launched a full-on Kamehame-ha. 

            Atsuko found the opening she had been waiting for. "Shokku O Ataeru!" This caught Akiko off guard. It blew her back, flipping her through the air. She crumpled and skidded a few hundred yards away on her face. Atsuko strode up to the girl and chuckled. She pulled her up by her hair. She grasped her daughter's neck with the other hand, drew the left one back and powered up. Akiko's eyes popped open and she gasped for breath. She scrambled to think of what to do next.

            "Get ready to join your father!!"

            Akiko strained in her grip and reached up to her mother's face. As energy collected around Atsuko's left hand, Akiko noticed something strange. Her thumb was glowing brighter than other digits, seemingly in a band around its base. She didn't know if it was a weakness or the hot point of her power, but if she was going to die, she was going to die trying. Her dada would approve when she saw him soon, she was sure. Just before the demon let the bolt fly, Akiko reached out and squeezed the thumb with everything she had left. 

            The attack was extinguished. Atsuko howled and released her. As the girl fell to the ground she saw her mother split in two. The sinister, demonic looking version with an inverted, jaundiced star was translucent and dissipating quickly. The purple-starred host body fell backwards. The scream faded away as the demon dispersed like smoke. Akiko stared in shock at the woman's body. Sensing no danger, she finally let her guard down. Atsuko was weak, but alive. She moaned and struggled to bring herself to her knees. Holding her head, she looked at the girl standing warily in front of her. 

            "A.. Akiko?"

            She didn't answer, not sure if she was willing to trust that which she had only known as a monster. Atsuko pushed her hair back from her forehead and blinked at her. Akiko sighed quickly, knowing that the dark, purple organ was a good sign.

            "Mother?"

            "AKIKO!" She threw her arms up and smiled through her tears. Akiko approached her cautiously and allowed her to hug her. "Oh, my baby, I'm so sorry! I couldn't stop it! I tried, I screamed, I thought I was in hell..!!"

            "I know, it wasn't your fault." Akiko didn't know what to do, but felt she had to say something. "It was Yatsu. He killed Dada."

            Atsuko stopped crying and held her daughter by the shoulders. She saw the maturation this trauma had caused her in her eyes. Atsuko's anger made her stronger. "Yatsu," she scowled and shot a glance towards the castle. "Let's get him."

            Mira feigned fainting to get Yatsu to shut up. She now knew every nuance of his cracked plan for universal domination. He wasn't just insane; he was stupid! He told her that he had been planning this for at least ten years. He did things that contradicted his intentions and forced himself to backpedal where even a half-wit with that kind of power would have at least had the galaxy by now. She racked her brain for the subtlest of plans and the most effective spells to use against him. 'If only Akiko can get through to Atsuko..' In answer to her thoughts, her sister entered the chamber through the hole in the roof. Although Mira was afraid that this meant the worst, she kept her faith. 

            "Master, it is done." Her hair was tousled and hid most of her face.

            "Excellent! I knew you could do it!" Warui clapped his tiny hands together in glee.

            Mira panicked a little, but remained inert. 

            "You seem a little roughed up, did she put up much of a fight?"

            "Oh yes, she was foolish, even to the end."

            'No. no no no nono. This can NOT be happening..' Mira bit her tongue.

            "Ha ha ha! Good! You need the exercise!" Yatsu turned his back to the sorceress. Akiko edged around the corner and flew to her aunt. She touched her hand. Mira did her best not to cry out with joy. They communicated with nods and winks. Akiko nodded to her mother. 

            "Maybe I do, but you need it more than I do, you weakling."

            "What?" Yatsu asked genuinely, not able to understand insubordination. In his shock, Atsuko made her move. She quickly covered his mouth with one hand and held his arms with the other. Akiko snapped her aunt's bonds easily.

            "Make it so he can't make magic!" she shouted.

            Mira cast a binding spell of her own on him and wove silence on top of it. He chanted like mad as Atsuko released him, but no sound came out. He seemed shocked that the alien woman had power over him. 

            "It will not last long, but.." she furrowed her brows, spread her feet apart and put her palms together, ".. here comes the kicker!" 

            Atsuko pulled her daughter back as her sister began to chant. The long and complicated spell rippled off her tongue. She commanded the good portion of his power to separate from his body. "Ringo kudasai!" The wizard began to writhe and shrink. The shocked look never left his face. In a flash of purple smoke and white light, Yatsu Warui was eliminated. His evil dissipated with a high-pitched scream. What little good he had in him dropped into Mira's waiting hand as a round, red, piece of fruit. She sighed, smiled and looked to her sister. Atsuko swooned and crumpled. 

            "Mother!" Akiko kept her from falling.

            "His power! It must have been what kept me alive!" 

            Mira was startled, but quickly went into action. She gripped the fruit and tore it in half. "Eat this!" she urged.

            Atsuko consumed the half and was visibly restored. 

            "Are you all right my sister?"

            "Yeah. Thank you!" She got to her feet and hugged Mira.

            Akiko smiled at the women but her happiness was short-lived. Her features darkened as she remembered the scene from the night before.

            "Oh, Akiko. I missed you so much," Atsuko put her hand on her head. "What are we gonna do?" 

            Akiko looked up at her mother, answerless. Atsuko picked her up and hugged her. She didn't cry, but buried her face in her mother's hair. Mira wandered over to the open spell-book.

            "When I.." Atsuko sighed, "..IT.. came to Mira's, I really did think I was in hell. I could see you and your father but I couldn't stop it. I saw everything. If I had a real voice I would have blown my vocal chords, I screamed so loud.. I couldn't stop it.." Atsuko sobbed, "I'm so sorry!"

            "It wasn't you," Akiko repeated. "It's ok now. You're back." She kept her cool. Her mother needed her to be strong. She was strong. Gohan had made sure of that. 

            "Aha!" Mira shouted without looking up from the book.

            "What is it?" Atsuko went to the podium and let Akiko hover so she could see the text. The girl may not have been able to read her own language yet, but this was complete gibberish. 

            "I found the spell Warui used to bring you back.." she hesitated before continuing. 

            "And..?" Atsuko asked breathlessly, guessing her sister's intention.

            "AND.. if I am right, he used this OTHER spell to place the demon in control.."

            "So you mean..?" she tried to hide her excitement.

            "I can bring Gohan back, RIGHT NOW."

            "All right!!!" Akiko thrashed in the air to express her joy.

            "Let's do it," Atsuko smiled from ear to ear at Mira.

            "Umarekawari..!" Mira stood in front of the pool and began to chant the magic words. When the pool began to churn she beseeched Gohan's spirit in his own tongue. "Gohan Son! I call to you from this plane, I beg you to come forward! RISE! Come back to us! We miss you! We love you! Come back to us! RISE!!"

            Soon the form of a man did begin to rise out of the black, bubbling water. It took the likeness of the half-Saiyan right down to the orange gi he wore the day before. His features became pronounced. His eyes were closed and he hung limp, suspended by Mira's magic. All three concentrated, willing him to live. 

            "Dada! Come back!" 

            "Gohan! Please come back to us!"

            His body floated forward and hovered just in front of the women. 

            "Feed him the other half of the power. He has no strength."

            Atsuko lifted the section up and it floated out of her hand toward him. It became a ball of light which flew into his slightly gaping mouth. His body tightened as his power was restored. His eyes remained shut.

            "Aunt Mira, he's still not here, I can't feel him yet!"

            "I know!"

            "Well, what are we doing wrong?!" Atsuko panicked and vainly tried to read the book.             

            Akiko studied her father's body still hovering in the air; his soul still between the worlds. "I know! Same thing I did to you, Mother!" She clutched a glowing band on his left pinky finger. "Dada! Wake up!!!"

            Gohan's eyes opened slowly. His feet touched the ground. He blinked a few times. "Suko?" he asked skeptically.

            She nodded. He looked to Mira who nodded as well. Akiko flew up into his arms and squeezed his neck. He seemed surprised that she could fly, but only briefly. He stared at his wife. "Atsuko," Gohan whispered.

            She began bawling and tackled him. The family embraced as a whole for the first time. "The end," Mira sighed, stepped away and murmured at the evil book. It vanished. 

            Akiko smiled at her and finished her sentiment. "And they all lived happily ever after!"

**End Chapter Three**

**Glossary:**

Ringo Kudasai : Give me the apple

Inazuma-ha : Akiko's electric version of the Kamehameha 

Denki: Electric or electricity

Umarekawari : New embodiment

Souki Dan : I believe this is the right term for Yamcha's remote control ki-blast...?

Shokku O Ataeru : Shock


	5. Four

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension   
  
by Aoi Kami Sarah**

**  
Chapter Four**

            The ship hummed lightly as it cruised across the galaxy. In just five days it would reach Earth. Most of its passengers were at ease. The sorceress entertained her young niece with small illusory tricks. The girl's father smiled at them and went to the reinforced window at which his wife was standing, transfixed by the stars outside.

            "It's not going to get any more interesting for a few days yet," Gohan commented and laced his arms around her waist.

            "Oh, I know," Atsuko sighed. "I'm just so amazed that I'm off that horrible planet."

            Gohan nodded.

            She looked in the window's reflection at her sister. "Mira, why did you put up with Cymm for the last five years? If I had the choice I would have taken off with Gohan."

            "To be honest, I didn't know why I stayed, at first," Mira turned and answered. "I was quite lonely for a while, but then I sensed Yatsu Warui's presence and threw myself into studying magic."

            "Show me more!" Akiko chimed.

            Mira smiled and created the image of a strange blue flower in the air. Akiko clapped and tried to touch it, but it dispersed like smoke. She giggled and looked to her aunt with wide eyes. "Show me how to do that, please Aunt Mira?"

            "Certainly," she sat up in front of her on her folded knees and began to teach Akiko how to make magic. 

            Atsuko smiled and hugged Gohan tightly. "Whatever you do," she advised. "Don't pinch me because I must be dreaming!"

            "You're not," he whispered. "We're together at long last and in just a few days, we'll be home."

            "Home..." she whispered back and looked out the window again. "Tell me about it again, Gohan. Tell me about Earth..."

*

            Akiko floated up into her father's arms and stared out the window. "Ah! Is that it, Dada?"

            "Yup Kiko, that's Earth!"

            The sun shone on a sliver of the planet, making it look like a blue and green grin. It sparkled in their eyes.

            "Too bad it's night at home right now," Gohan commented. 

            "It still looks amazing!" Atsuko could hardly contain herself.

            "Come on, we have to buckle in for landing."

            The ship touched down gently on the lawn in back of the little house. When the door opened, Akiko bounded out and spun around to watch the other women's reactions. Mira stepped out and took a deep breath. She smiled and joined Akiko.

            Atsuko trembled as she set foot on Earth for the first time. Although the sky was dark, it was dark blue, not the dour brown of a Cymm sky at night. She too breathed the air in deeply and gasped.

            "It's so cold!" She reached her hands up to her exposed arms and rubbed them vigorously.

            "What?" Gohan asked as he stepped out. "It's about 60 degrees! Chilly, but not really that cold."

            "Atsuko grew up in Acathi," Mira added. "It's on the equator."

            "Oh yeah..." Gohan grinned. "Well, we don't get snow or anything, but this time of year the nights are often this cold."

            "I guess I'll just have to get used to it..." She spun around and sniffed. "The air is so... sweet! And the gravity..."

            "It's a little heavier cause Earth is bigger than Cymm," Gohan watched her spin. 

            She bent and felt the grass. "So soft... Not like on Cymm at all... And it's green, right?"

            "Yup," Gohan nodded. "Just about all the plants here are."

            "Wow..."

            "Interesting..." Mira examined the grass as well.  
            "If ya think that's neat," Akiko grabbed her aunt's hand. "You're gonna LOVE trees!" 

            "Trees?"

            Akiko dragged her to her favorite tree. Mira investigated its bark and marveled at its girth. "Does it walk at all?"

            "Walk!?" Akiko laughed. "No silly! Trees can't walk!"

            "Kiko, on Cymm plants are animate. They don't have proper trees and shrubs there. And they don't have as many animals as we do. They have sentient plants." her father informed her.

            "Trees walk on Cymm!?" she asked, astounded. "How come you never showed me!?"

            Atsuko giggled. "You met Hei-hei, didn't you?"

            "Hei-hei is a tree!?"

            Gohan laughed. "Sort of. It's not an animal, it's a sentient plant: a plant with a brain."

            "Wow...."

            "Well, there'll be much more to see tomorrow when the sun is out." Gohan pressed a large green button on the ship and it encapsulated itself. "Come on into the house, gang."

            The windows of the Son house were dark.

            "That's funny." He scratched his head and opened the door. "Hello?" he called and flicked on the lights. "It's only eight. They don't go to bed till at least 11."

            "Uncle Goten! Grandada, Grama!?" Akiko called out, but there was no one home. She started to get worried.

            Gohan walked past the phone and clicked his tong. "That's where they are!" He pointed to a calendar on the wall. "Kiko, what does that say?"

            She levitated up and blinked at the calendar. "Muh March... two one... Twenty-one. Ten.. Ten..." she gasped. "Tenka Ichi Budoukai! We missed it!"

            "What's that?" Atsuko asked. "Is that where your family is?"

            "Yup. The Greatest Under The Heaven's Martial Arts Tournament. Akiko and I were supposed to compete too, but we went to help you guys instead."

            "Greatest Under The Heavens? Akiko?" her mother asked, astounded. 

            "Well, Earthlings are a lot weaker than Saiyans, so yeah. She would have placed pretty high too. I guess we have to wait till you're ten for the next one, eh Kiko?"

            She pouted and floated back down to the floor. "I guess..."

            "Hey," he picked her up. "Tomorrow we'll all go to The Papaya Islands and watch them, ok?"

            "Ok..." she whined.

            "I think someone's tired..." Gohan hugged her. Akiko put her arms around his neck and nodded. "Ok, let's go." He titled his head, motioning for the women to follow him. 

            Upstairs was a cute, small room with a little bed and a solitary window. Gohan put his daughter down and peeled back the covers . "Do you need me to get ya dressed?" he asked.

            She sleepily shook her head and took a nightgown out of her dresser. Gohan turned to the women to give her a little privacy while she changed. "Akiko usually goes to bed a little later, but I think she tuckered herself out with all the excitement."

            Atsuko watched her self-reliant, little girl dress herself and climb into bed.

            "You need a story tonight, Kiko-baby?" Gohan asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed. Akiko shook her head. Her eyes were half open. He bent and kissed the pale, purple star in the middle of her forehead. "G'night kiddo."

            Gohan stood and smiled at Atsuko. She approached the bed nervously. "Good night, Akiko." She stroked her hair and placed a kiss in the same place Gohan had. Before standing back up, Atsuko also touched her own star to her daughter's. When she pulled away, the soft, sleepy, happy smile on Akiko face almost brought tears to her eyes. "Sleep tight."

            "G'night... Moma." Akiko drifted off to sleep as they partially closed the door.

            Atsuko yawned.  "I guess I tuckered myself out too," she grinned.

            "Yes, I too have over-excited myself," Mira agreed.

            "Well, you can sleep in my brother's room for the time being." Gohan showed her to Goten's room which was just across from Akiko's

            "Excellent. Thank you."

            "I assume you'll be up before we are," Gohan said, remembering the sorceress's early morning routine from years ago.

            "I will. I'll try to remain in my room until you are ready to show us your home-world yourself, but I must admit that my curiosity may get the better of me!"

            "That's all right. There's a lot more to Earth than what's around here. I'll have plenty to show you."

            "All right," Mira smiled. "Good night Gohan, Good night my Sister."

            "Night Mira."

            Mira closed the door behind her and put her traveling case down on the floor. She took out a brush and a set of gi bottoms and a long sleeved shirt. Mira changed into her pajamas and unbraided her waist-length hair. 

            There was a full mirror on the back of the door which she used to guide her hands. Mira re-braided her hair, wrapped the braid around her head three times then pinned it in place. She noticed that she hadn't stopped smiling yet and smiled wider.

            'Amazing,' she thought. 'I'm happy. We're all happy.'

            Gohan led his wife into his bedroom and closed the door behind them. 

            "Still cold?" he asked.

            She shook her head and smiled. Atsuko turned to him. There were tears in her eyes. 

            "You know," she sniffled. "We haven't been alone since Chonekken took me away almost six years ago!"

            He nodded and ran a hand through her thick, blue hair. "Atsuko," he whispered and held her chin. "No one and nothing will ever separate us again." 

            Atsuko flung her arms around him and sobbed joyfully. 

            "...I swear it on my life."

*

            Akiko stretched and yawned loudly. Her tail poked out from under the covers and wriggled as she did so. With her eyes half open, she slid out of bed and went downstairs.

            She sniffed the air. No sweet scent of breakfast reached her nostrils. She pouted and wondered where her Grama was and why there was nothing to eat waiting for her. The back door was ajar. Akiko scratched her messed hair and wandered outside.

            "Good morning, my Niece," Mira greeted her. She was sitting in a lotus position on the grass in the back yard. Her eyes were closed. 

            "Morning Aunt Mira..." Akiko mumbled. "Have you seen..." She went silent.

            Mira opened her eyes. "Akiko?" she asked. "Are you feeling all right?"

            Akiko blinked at the sorceress. "Oh WOW!" she shouted and tackled her.

            Mira tumbled over backwards, her legs still linked together. 

            "You're really here! It really happened! It wasn't just a dream!!!"

            "Oh, Gohan, it's so beautiful!" Atsuko exclaimed from the back door as her husband lifted his hands off of her eyes.

            "Moma!" Akiko jumped off of Mira and charged her mother. Atsuko caught her with little difficulty.

            "Morning Akiko!" she chimed and hugged the girl back. "I never imagined a blue sky would be so beautiful!" she marveled. "And look at those smooth, green mountains!"

            "Come on!" She floated out of her arms and grabbed her hand. "I wanna show you Earth!" Akiko dragged her towards the woods.

            Atsuko laughed and went along. Gohan and Mira followed.

            "Guess you got bored, huh?"

            Mira blushed a deeper shade of blue. "I apologize, Gohan."

            He laughed. "For what? Come on, we'll show you some of Earth's wonders."

            After an hour of exploration into grass and bark and squirrels, the family got hungry and made breakfast. Gohan informed them that if they wanted to catch the tournament, they had better leave soon.

            Akiko ran upstairs to change out of her PJs. Mira sipped a cup of tea and examined the delicate potted plants Chi-chi had growing all over the house.

            "Gohan?" Atsuko asked, a hint of worry in her voice. "I have a small problem..."

            "Oh?"

            She pulled at the seemingly indestructible, but dirty yellow tank top and red pants. "This is all I have to wear."

            "Hm," he bit his lip. "Maybe you can wear one of my mom's dresses?"

            "Do you think?" she asked as he lead her to his parent's first floor bedroom.

            "I don't think she'd mind..."

            Atsuko and Gohan rejoined Mira and Akiko.

            "What do you think, guys?"

            She was wearing a green, Chinese-style dress and a pair of Chinese slippers that were only a little too big for her.

            "Wow, Moma, you look pretty!"

            She smiled. "Thanks!"

            Gohan took a capsule out of a drawer in the living room. "Good thing they left us a car. I don't think making a flying entrance into the most heavily attended event in the world would be a great idea!"

            He walked outside, popped and tossed the capsule away from him. They all got into the cute little roadster and took off for the Papaya Islands.

            Atsuko had never seen so many people smiling in her entire life. Tears filled her eyes as she took in the sights, sounds and smells of the Budoukai. 

            "Hun?" Gohan noticed her glistening eyes and stopped her. "You ok?"

            She nodded and wiped her face. "It's just so amazing! These humans are so happy! Cymmlings never behave like this in public!"

            Mira nodded. "It is so. They are a subtle people."

            "Subtle!" Atsuko laughed. "Nasty is more like it!"

            "Except Master Fukai!" Akiko chimed.

            "Yes, he certainly is an exception." Mira nodded remembering the old man fondly.

            "Ok guys," Gohan said as he ushered them towards the back entrance. "Here we go!"

            The massive man at the door folded his arms and frowned down on the family as they approached. 

            "Excuse me," Gohan smiled up at him. "Our family is participating in the tournament. Could we get in here to see them?"

            He squinted down on the scholar, the two strange women and the little be-tailed girl and snorted. "Sure they are, pal."

            Gohan shrugged and stuck out his hand. The bouncer raised a brow, but took it and went to shake it. Gohan flexed and lifted the giant about an inch off the ground, just enough to put the fear of Kami in him.

            The bouncer stuttered and stepped aside, allowing them to enter.

            "Thanks!" Gohan smiled and waved as they passed.

            Inside the stadium, promoters and media people were running this way and that. The first fight was starting soon. As they looked around for the combatants, a voice called out to them.

            "Gohan! You made it!"

            A young, black haired woman jogged over to them and smiled wide. 

            "Videl!" Gohan shouted and grit his teeth. "Hey! Yeah, just in time to see the fights," he laughed nervously and stepped in back of Atsuko. He took her by the shoulders.

            The smile fell from Videl's face.

            "Videl, I'd like you to meet Mira Uenijimenshitanisora and her sister Atsuko Aoi: my wife."

            Videl looked ashen, but flashed her smile back on as best she could. "Oh! Hello! I thought you were..."

            "Dead?" Atsuko made a face. "Yeah, so did I."

            There was an awkward pause.

            "Oh! Gohan this is great timing! A fighter has dropped out at the last minute. He ran screaming when he took a good look at your father!" she giggled. "So you can take his place!"

            "Really!?" Gohan clapped his hands together. "I'll do it!"

            Videl ran off to make the arrangements. Atsuko watched her as she left.

            "Ok gang. I'm going to have to go get ready. Tell that gentleman over there," he indicated to another large bouncer, "that you're with the Sons and that he should seat you in a good place. I think it would be better if introductions happen after the fights, so lie low if you can."

            "Ok." Atsuko was a bit puzzled, but went along with it. "Good luck," she said and gave him a kiss.

            "Good luck Dada!"

            Mira bowed to him and followed the blue haired girls to their seats.

            The first fight was just being announced as the women took their nose-bleed section seats. A large, pale man with bright orange hair was announced.

            Akiko giggled. "He's a Hapless Shmuck."

            "Akiko, really! You shouldn't use such language!"

            "That's what Uncle Goten calls them. They're the guys we fight who don't stand a chance." She pouted. "He might have been my Hapless Shmuck."

            Mira giggled too, but stopped when she got a severe look from her sister.

            The announcer's voice echoed off the thousands of people. "..Verses... the Belle of Fry Pan Mountain, Chi-chi Son!!!"

            Akiko stood up and cheered loudly. "Go Grama!!!"

            "You're grandmother is fighting?!" Atsuko asked skeptically. "Isn't she an aging human?"

            "This is her last fight. I hope she wins, though."

            They marveled as the fifty year old woman brought the three hundred-pound golaith to his knees.

            "The winner of match one, Chi-chi Son!!!"

            The crowd roared, amazed that she still had it in her. 

            Chi-chi waited till she was out of sight before wincing in pain. 

            "You ok, Chi-chi?" Goku asked and gave her a hand as she walked back to the bench.

            "Just my sciatica..." she grumbled.

            "You kicked his butt good, Mom!" Goten cheered.

            Chi-chi sighed. "I only wish Gohan was here to have seen that..."

            In the shadows, a man in a long, red cape smiled.

            Akiko stood and cheered boisterously as her uncle stepped onto the ring. Chi-chi turned and looked in her direction. "Is that...?" she wondered and got to her feet.

            "Akiko, honey, your father said we should lie low!" Atsuko reminded her and tried to calm her down.

            "But Moma, it's Goten!"

            Mira's Mona Lisa-like smile fell. "Atsuko, your mother-in-law is charging her way up here."

            "What!?" Atsuko looked where she was looking. Chi-chi's head flicked back and forth as she pushed her way through the crowded rows of spectators. 

            Mira's head bowed down. "Hensou suru," she whispered. "Disguise our appearances."

            Atsuko blinked at her daughter. "What the...?"

            Akiko had black hair, no star and her tail had disappeared.

            "Moma?" she asked, confused. Atsuko looked the same. 

            Mira, who's skin had simply turned a human shade of peach, smiled. "I have it taken care of."

            Mother and daughter nodded.

            Chi-chi stopped a few rows ahead of them and slumped her shoulders. "I could have sworn I saw Akiko!" she grumbled to herself. The fight was beginning, so she began the awkward descent back to her ground level seat. Akiko giggled.

            Goten faced his opponent and mock-yawned. "Ok, let's get this over with."

            The man wore a Chinese style gi and a long, reddish-brown braid. He bowed, and looked confident enough, but the sweat that framed his face showed otherwise.

            "A new Budoukai record, Ladies and Gentlemen!" the announcer proclaimed as medics hauled the Chinese man away. "Three seconds! Let's here it for Goten Son!!"

            Goku slapped his son on the back and grinned. "Jeez Goten, ya coulda given the poor guy a good sixty seconds at least!"

            "Whatever. I wanna see who the mystery fighter is!" The teen grinned back and pounded a fist into his palm. "Then I wanna take him down!"

            "You'll get your chance," Goku sat back down and watched.

            The announcer introduced the next Happless Schmuck. He strutted on to the ring, confident and secure in the knowledge that he didn't have to go up against a Son yet. Then the audience held it's breath. 

            "Ladies and Gentlemen. We know how disappointed you are that Gohan Son and his five year old daughter Akiko were not able to make it today..."

            Akiko blushed and smiled wide.

            "But hopefully this next appearance will make up for that. Now entering the ring, the last minute replacement, but certainly not last in any other respect, the Hero of Satan City..."

            The crowd took a deep breath...

            "The GRRRRREEEAAAT SAIYAMAN!!!!!"

            Thousands of people shouted their approval and cheered to deafen a person. Akiko stood up clapped and shouted as loud as she wanted to.

            "Who's the Great Saiyaman?!" Atsuko asked over the roar. No one heard her.

            "NO WAY!!!" Goten and Goku jumped out of their seats and stared, slack-jawed as the super-hero took his place on the ring. Gohan waved to them and bowed to his opponent who's knees shook so badly they made a distinctive knocking sound.

            "My Gohan!" Chi-chi cheered. "He DID see me!!"

            His cape billowed in the breeze. Sunlight glinted off of his sunglasses. He looked into the crowd, but could find his wife, sister-in-law and daughter nowhere.

            The fight was brief. The Great Saiyaman's opponent didn't have the strength or the heart to fight a hero.

            His family hugged him and asked questions on top of each other. He told them yes, there had been a problem on Cymm. Yes, they had solved it. Yes, Akiko was with some of her friends and watching them from the stands. No, he couldn't say more. After the fight, yes. 

            The questioning let up some as Goku took the ring. The Saiyan's opponent stood as firm as a rock.

            "Oh good! Finally someone who's not afraid of me!" he cheered. "Do your best, ok?"

            The fight began, but Goku's opponent stood where he was. 

            "Hey, buddy, you ok?" Goku approached him. The man stared blankly out at him. Goku scratched his head. He extended a finger and poked the man ever-so-lightly on the forehead. He fell over backwards like a statue.

            "Scared stiff, Ladies and Gentlemen!" the announcer laughed as the man was hauled away on a stretcher. "He forfeits his fight! Now, on to the REAL fights! The first in our quarter -finals, Chi-chi Son verses her own son, Goten Son!!!"

            Goku pushed Goten out of the dugout-like waiting area. "Come on, ya chicken! Get in there!"

            "But Daaaaaaad!" he whined. "I'm gonna beat her!"

            "I know that," he became serious. "But this means a lot to your mom. This is her last tournament. Let her shine for a little while, but don't tire her out."

            Goten grumbled and trudged to the ring.

            "Do your best Goten! Do your best, Mom!" Gohan called after them.

            "Your uncle is going up against your grandmother?" Mira asked.

            Akiko nodded and stood up on her seat. She had no comment. Her eyes were trained on the ring.

            Goten blocked for the first couple of minutes. He tried desperately to think of a way in which he could take his mother down without embarrassing or insulting her. He certainly wasn't going to the throw the fight, but watching her go at him, he wished that he could do just that. 

            Chi-chi panted as she swung at him again and again, but her son had neither laid a hand on her nor broken a sweat yet. She furrowed her brows and thrust her fist at his face. He caught it easily. "Mom," he whispered. "I'm sorry." 

            Goten let go of her fist and pushing the air between them with his ki, he forced her backwards over the edge of the ring. She rolled a little, but expected a gentle move like that from him. She tumbled over the foot-high lip and sprang to her feet gracefully. The crowd cheered them as they bowed to each other.

            "Thank you," she whispered back, bowed to the audience and wiped a tear from her eye.

            Goten remained in the ring and smirked as the super hero was introduced again. He could hear his brother under the deafening roar from the crowd.

            "Ready, Bro?"

            "To kick your butt? You bet!"

            "We'll see," Gohan smirked back and bowed. "I really want to fight Dad."

            "So do I!"

            "Then this'll be a good fight!" Gohan straightened and removed his cape. Both brothers took a stance and at the announcers cue, flew at each other.

            The audience erupted, glad to finally be seeing the legendary fights they had come to expect from the Tenka Ichi Budoukai. Akiko jumped up and down and cheered loudly as the men bounded around the large ring; their blows landing too fast for much of the audience to see. They didn't care. It was a sight to behold, regardless. 

            Goten's enthusiasm showed as he flew at his brother and reigned blows down on him. Gohan blocked each one, but restrained himself. He knew his brother's moves intimately and knew it was only a matter of time. 

            "You know," he commented as they fought. "You still haven't learned."

            "What are you talking about?" Goten hissed as he worked harder and harder to land a hit, going faster with each passing moment. 

            'Now!' Gohan thought as he saw his window of opportunity open. Goten had pushed himself past the point of control. His speed and agility were impressive, but without control over them, these skills were useless. Gohan struck him in the stomach.

            Shocked, Goten doubled over. His brother spun and swept his legs out from under him with a low, spinning kick. Then, while he was still falling, Gohan leapt up and kicked him out of the ring.

            Goten fell on his back and lay on the ground. He frowned deeply. Gohan stepped out and offered his hand to help him up. "You gotta keep your defense up when you get to that speed." Gohan grinned.

            Goten sighed and took his hand. He got to his feet and they both bowed to each other and the audience. 

            "Ladies and Gentlemen, we will take a short recess before our final fight: the Great Saiyaman verses Goku Son!"

            Akiko waved to her dada. He was far away, but both of their eyesight was good enough to see that far. He was obviously looking for her. She frowned and looked to her mother.

            "Oh!" she made a face. "We don't look like us..."

            "Do you want to see your Dada?" Atsuko asked.

            Akiko nodded vigorously. 

            "I think we can do that since we're incognito. Mira?"

            "I don't see why not."

            The women made their way to the lower level.

            Gohan pushed his sunglasses up onto his head and wiped his brow. A motion caught his eye.

            "Hey," she greeted him awkwardly.

            "Videl..."

            Akiko dragged Mira through the crowd and stood against the wall, watching her family and giggling at the strangeness of them not recognizing her. Atsuko saw the flicker of a red cape down the long hallway that lead out of the arena. She smiled and sneaked away.

            "So... What happens now?"

            "She's my wife." He folded his arms. Words were never so hard to come by.

            "I know." Videl leaned up against a wall and closed her eyes. "Damn it. I knew this was too good to be true. You know, I was just thinking the other day that you were the first person in a long time I've even thought I could fall in love with..."

            Gohan pouted. "I was sort of thinking the same thing. When I lost her... If it wasn't for Akiko... I don't know..." he struggled. "I didn't want to ever get hurt like that again. Then you came along, and I started to remember what it felt like..."

            "Gohan," she walked over to him. "You don't need to tell me. I know. I understand. You were so sad when I met you last year. All I wanted to do was make you happy. Today, it's like you're a different person. She makes you glow." Videl looked down at her feet. "I might have been able to do that too, but that's not my job. It's hers."

            "You're a wonderful girl," he said and lifted her chin up. "You're way too good for 90 percent of the guys out there..."

            She blushed.

            "...But you'll make one of the 10 percenters incredibly happy."

            "Thanks." Videl smiled. "Good thing we only had like one real date. This would have been way harder had we, you know... been closer."

           He nodded. They hugged briefly. Videl walked back into to arena. Gohan stood where he was for a moment, sighed, then smiled. "Atsuko..." he whispered then rejoined his family. 

            Chichi, Goten and Goku watched as another large bouncer menaced the little girl and her aunt. "You guys is not supposed to be here," he grumbled in a thick accent. Mira bit her lip. 

            "Yes we are!" Akiko frowned and glared up at him. Atsuko rounded the corner just at the bouncer was about to physically eject them from the arena. 

            "Mira! Turn it off!"

            Her sister nodded and their appearances returned to normal. 

            "Akiko!" Chichi shouted. "You brute! Get your hands off my granddaughter!!"

            He attempted to apologize, but Chichi was too quick for him. She physically ejected him over the wall and ten rows of seats behind it.

            "Guys!" Gohan cried in alarm.

            "Sorry Dada, we couldn't wait!" Akiko ran into his arms.

            "It's ok, Sweetie." He smiled awkwardly and motioned to the strange women. "Mom, Dad, Goten. This is Mira and her sister, Atsuko."

            "Atsuko?!" Chichi asked. "As in... THEE Atsuko?"

            The Rashawoman blushed and nodded. "That's me. Alive and well. Thanks to Kiko."

            The announcer's voice echoed off the walls, calling The Great Saiyaman and Goku Son to the ring.

            "I guess that's us!" Gohan put Akiko down and walked up to his wife. "Wish me luck," he smiled and looked into her blue eyes.

            "Good luck," she whispered and stood where she was.

            Her eyes were troubled. Gohan furrowed his brows. "Are you ok?"

            She nodded but said nothing.

            Goku broke the tension with his obliviousness. "Never thought I'd be excited for a fight to be over, but I can't wait to talk to you, Atsuko and Mira; alien to alien!" He waved and motioned for his son to go ahead of him.

            "Good luck, Mr. Son!" Mira waved back. 

            Her sister's unease had not escaped her notice. Chi-chi prevented her from asking what the matter was. The human woman asked question after question and Atsuko blushed and tried her best to answer each one as quickly as she could. Goten picked up his niece and listened as she told them the entire story in about sixty seconds.

            "That's incredible! It explains why we couldn't wish you back, though. How terrible!" Chi-chi pouted. 

            Atsuko nodded. She was at a loss for words and looked tired. She stood up very straight with her hands clasped behind her back. Chi-chi sat down on the bench and beckoned the women do the same. 

            "My goodness, Akiko looks just like you!" she remarked as she stared at Atsuko. The Rashawoman blushed again. She didn't know how to react around an elder woman who wasn't berating her like all the matrons at the orphanage on Cymm had always done.

            "Gramma! The fight's starting!" Akiko chimed and flew down into her lap.

            Chi-chi blinked a few times. "Since when can you fly!?" she asked, astounded.

            Akiko giggled and tapped the star in the middle of her forehead. 

            Goku bowed to his eldest son and grinned secretly.

            Gohan straightened and raised a brow. "What's that look for?"

            "Oh, I just know who's going to win this year's Budoukai, that's all."

            "Is that all?" he smirked back. "Well, I didn't wear this silly outfit for nothing." Gohan turned and raised his fists into the air. The crowd went wild. He turned back and took a stance. 

            For the crowd's sake, they started off slowly, but soon the fight progressed into a high-speed sort of ballet that few people's eyes could follow. They oohed and ahed as bits of concrete exploded and sonic booms resounded. Both men went super Saiyan. Their glowing auras were much easier to see.

            Atsuko and Mira's mouths hung open loosely. 

            "Damn," Atsuko whispered. "I never knew how powerful he was!"

            "Really?" Mira asked.

            "He admitted to me when I was expecting Akiko that he had been holding back so that I wouldn't feel outclassed, but I had no idea he could do THIS!" A proud, astounded smile could not be removed from her face. 

            "Oh, they're still holding back," Chi-chi commented. "If they went all out they'd blow this place away."

            Both star-headed women leaned over and blinked at her.

            As if they were dancing, father and son stepped through the air. They knew each other's moves intimately, but one had to prevail. One of them would bring home the prize to the Son House. It didn't matter which one was the victor, but it mattered to the audience. Soon their voices merged and rose in unison. Their will was clear.

            "SAI-YA-MAN! SAI-YA-MAN! SAI-YA-MAN!"

            "Come on, Great Saiyaman!" Goku called. "Give 'em what they want!" He lunged as his fists met blocks. 

            Gohan shrugged. "Ok!" Gohan powered up to just surpass his father and out-maneuvered him. He raised his clenched fists and brought them down on his head. Goku was plunged into the ground just outside the edge of the ring. 

            The audience was already on its feet. They threw confetti and just about anything they could get their hands on and screamed with delight. Goku flipped back up onto the destroyed ring and walked up to Gohan as he descended. The men bowed to each other and waved to the audience.

            "For the 30th Budoukai, I'm not letting you play dress-up," Goku said out of the side of his mouth.

            "I'll be almost THIRTY!" he laughed. "I hope I wont still be running around in tights by then!"

            Goku laughed with him, but waved and left him in the winner's circle. 

            The patriarch jumped down off of the ring and joined the rest of his family who were also cheering wildly.

            "Son Goku!" Chi-chi scolded. "You threw that fight!"

            "Shhhh... Jeez, Chi-chi. That's how rumors get started." He winked. 

            Gohan accepted the million-dollar purse and made a short, heroic sounding speech to the audience which screamed their appreciation as he left the ring.

            Once he was out of sight, Gohan took of his sunglasses and jogged after his family. By the time they reached the fighter's entrance, He had stripped off the Saiyaman outfit and was casually dressed in khakis and a tee-shirt. Chi-chi put his winnings in a bag and the family easily escaped the crowd gathered to see the Saiyaman emerge. 

           Gohan picked up Akiko and carried her on his shoulders and laced an arm around his wife's waist. She did the same.

            "You feeling better?" 

            She nodded and looked ahead. Gohan squeezed her and kissed her on the top of her head. "This is the best day I've had in a long time!" Gohan cheered. 

            "Oh, Gohan!" Chi-chi walked along holding on to her own husband's hand. "It's so good to see you so happy!"

            He smiled at her and laughed a little, unable to contain his joy. 

            Akiko, too excited to sit still, floated off of her father's shoulders and hovered along beside Goten and Mira. "I can't wait till the next Budoukai! I wanna fight too!"

            "It's tons of fun, kiddo. You're gonna love it!" Goten looked at her funny. "Wait a sec. When did you learn to fly?"

            "She didn't," Mira commented. "I activated her." Goten turned his funny look to Mira. "It's a Rasha thing."

            He nodded as if he didn't understand a thing. Mira smiled and offered to explain the intricacies of Rasha abilities to him.

            Gohan and Atsuko hung back as the others found a clear place from which to fly home. "You guys go ahead!" he called to them. "We'll catch up."

            Mira met her sister's eyes and got a nod. She turned and followed the others.

            He took his formerly estranged wife by the shoulders and looked down into her eyes lovingly. "Suko, what's the matter? You can tell me."

            She looked at the ground and bit her lip. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn't move... so I heard..."

            Gohan's heart sank. He swallowed back a wave of terrified nausea and tried to say something. "We... I mean, I...."

            "It's ok," she looked up. "I heard everything." Atsuko took Gohan's hands. "It just took me a while to process. I'm fine now. The last thing you said before you came back in was my name. I know you love me. I know you're mine, just like I'm yours. Forever."

            He nodded, again at a loss for words. They kissed gently in the light of the sun setting between the tall, city buildings. "I am SO yours," he whispered. 

            They embraced for a minute more before Gohan stroked her hair and took her hand. "Come on," he said as he stepped up into the air. "There's so much more to show you!"

            She gracefully took to the air at his side. "Show me your world!"

            "No. It's yours, Atsuko. It's all yours."

            They took off for the north-west and home where Chi-chi was surely already making a huge celebration dinner.

**End Chapter Four**

120400010201


	6. Five

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Chapter Five**

**Note:**

(-*-) indicates a change in setting from one dimension to another. 

(*) indicates a change of scene or great lapse of time in the same dimension. 

Dialog which appears within means that the speaker is being heard telepathically. 

(***) indicates that the scene within them is a flash back.

Capsule Corp: Sunday, June 23rd, 11:30 AM

            Bulma Briefs gingerly stretched her index finger out toward the play button of the air-car's CD player. Akiko clenched her teeth in a wide grin. 

            "Here goes!" the older woman cried and pressed the button. 100 decibels roared out of 21 speakers located strategically in the interior of the car. Bulma leaned back in her seat as if forced back by the sound. Akiko rocked to the beat. 

            "Right about now, the funk soul brothah..!" she gave Bulma the thumbs up and turned the system off. "Sweet..."

            "What?!"

            "SWEET!"

            "YEAH!"

            They laughed and climbed out of the car. The women wound their way out of the huge garage around various model cars. 

            "I guess that fifth sub-woofer did the trick."

            "Oh yeah," Akiko grinned.

            Yamcha was waiting for them at the entrance. "There you guys are! I thought we were going to the shore today." He was wearing jams and a Capsule tee-shirt. 

            "We are, we are!" Bulma brushed past him and escorted Akiko out. "Gimme a half an hour." 

            Yamcha slumped his shoulders. "Half and hour.. lets see.." he counted off his fingers. "..times six.. that's... three and a half hours in Bulma Time." 

            The younger woman was about to make a snide comment about Yamcha's shorts, when she spied his son emerge from the house wearing the same thing. She rolled her eyes. She loved Capsule, but she couldn't stand its young CEO.

            "Well, I guess I'll see you later, Bulma." Akiko turned to fly away, but her friend stopped her. 

            "Hey! Why don't you come with us! I'm sure T would love to have you along!"

            "I'm sure he would," she murmured. "Thanks, but I'm sparing with Goten today. Since he got married, I've been taking every opportunity I can to kick his butt!"

            Bulma snickered. The lavendar-haired young man called T approached them. 

            "Hey, Kiko. Wassup?" He ran a hand through his hair and winked at her.

            "Hey, Trunks. I was just leaving." She folded her arms.

            "Are you ever gonna call me T?"

            "Prob'ly not."

            Bulma looked back and forth at them and silently wished Trunks wasn't so much like his father. She'd never get them together at this rate!

            "Well, it's been real, Bulma, but I gotta jet," Akiko said in a smarmy tone, mocking Trunks. She snapped her fingers so that they finished up pointing at Bulma and stepped up into the air. 

            "Bye! have fun getting the stuffing knocked out of you!" she smiled up at her friend.

            "We'll see about that!" Akiko saluted to her and blasted off.

            Trunks sighed, "she hates me."

            "No no! She's just warming up to you! I'm sure once she grows up a little more she'll see that you're a great guy!" his mother re-assured him, although she knew that it was HE who needed the maturity and not the younger quarter-Saiyan.

            T looked up into the empty sky and pouted slightly. The blue reminded him that they were going to the beach. He thought of bikinis and his usual grin reappeared.

            Akiko lighted in her front yard and walked into the house. She was almost knocked over by two streaks, one blue and one black. She spun around in place and yelled at them. "Woah! Go-Chan, Gosan! Where's the fire?"

            They stopped and turned to her. "Sorry Kiko!" her younger siblings replied in unison. "We're going out with Grampa!" They both beamed satisfied smiles at her. 

            "Cool. Don't wear him out too much, ok?" She tousled their hair: her sister's blue like hers, her brother's black like her dada's, both wild like her grandfather, Goku's. 

            "Kay!" They bolted off in the direction of Mt. Paozu. Akiko shook her head and smiled.

            Gohan, Goten and Atsuko were sitting around the kitchen table in the humble little house. Books were crammed into every possible space in this room as well as every other. Cookie jar. Books. Toaster oven. Books. But despite the lack of space, the house was always neat. As Akiko entered the room, a hush fell over the adults' conversation. 

            "Oh, please. Next thing you know you'll be spelling things out so I can't tell what you're saying," she grumbled. 

            "Hey," Goten smirked and replied, "that still works!"

            "We weren't talking about you, Kiko," her mother attempted to cover.

            "No, you we're talking about Teeee." Akiko made fun of Trunks's choice of nick-name.

            The adults looked sheepishly at each other. Atsuko developed a sizable sweat-drop. Gohan put his arm behind his head and chuckled nervously. 

            "Don't we have somewhere to go?" Goten tried to drop the subject.

            "Yeah, you're coming with me to Goten's-gonna-get-thrashed land."

            He laughed and got up. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

            "Kiko-baby, is that my shirt?" Atsuko pointed to the yellow tank top her eldest girl wore.

            "Uh, yeah bye!"

            Akiko hustled Goten out the door.

            "Whew!" Atsuko and Gohan tilted back their chairs in relief. The door flew back open. 

            "And stop trying to hook me up with that pompous, self-centered, egotistical jerk, Trunks!!!!"

            The parents fell over backwards as the door slammed shut again.

*

            Goten and Akiko flew out over the countryside toward their favorite stomping ground: an inaccessible stretch of beach surrounded by craggy cliffs with no humans for miles around: the perfect place for Saiyans to beat each other senseless. They touched down and Goten laughed spontaneously.

            "What's so funny?" Akiko asked, genuinely interested. 

            "It's still here!"

            "What is?"

            He pointed to an imprint in the sand. It was deep and in the shape of a young, be-tailed woman. Akiko flushed and clenched her fists. "That's only 'cause the sun was setting in my eyes!"

            "Yeah, well, if you used your eyes more often, maybe you wouldn't make such an impression!" 

            She grumbled a bit, but said nothing. She knew her best friend, uncle and teacher was right. She raised her hand and ki blasted it away. "It's your turn to make your mark!" She took a stance and balled her fists. 

            "If you can put me in the sand that hard I'll take you into town and buy you a new shirt!" He let his niece make the first move. 

            "Oh you are SO dead!" They fought hand to hand for ten minutes before switching to power attacks. An occasional miss would turn the sand below them to glass. Goten shot his Kamekameha at her which she met head on with her own Inazumaha. The two beams struggled for dominance. The half-Saiyan seemed to have the advantage. Akiko's long blue hair and tail bristled with the building electrical energy.

            "You're not giving it a hundred percent!" Goten yelled at her.

            "Are you nuts!? I'm at 30,000 amps!"

            "You think I can't handle fifty thou?" He pushed her beam to within a few feet of her face. She strained to keep the Kamekameha at bay. "All right, you asked for it! Nagitaosu!!" Bluish-white arcs of electricity curled around Akiko's arms and added to her Inazumaha. It was enough. Goten was forced down to the ground. His foot touched the slick glass. As he lost control he slipped. The beam shot past him and blew a sizable hole in the beach. 

            "Whoa!!" Goten cried as he recovered. "That was pretty good!" 

            Akiko panted and stared at the hole which had become glazed like a bowl. "Oh wow! I can't believe I beat you!" She thrashed in the air in celebration. 

            Goten looked over into the hole. He judged that it was cool enough and jumped over the edge. He slid down and back up to the other side. Akiko dropped in and joined him. They skated and laughed until the sky grew suddenly dark. Goten pointed behind her.

            "Looks like a storm's coming." 

            "I'm not falling for that old one!"

            "No, I'm serious."

            Akiko opened her mouth but was silenced by a clap of thunder. The wind picked up her hair. "Oh wow, I didn't even feel it coming."

            "Let's get outta here."

            "Right. There's something wrong with this..."

            They took to the air and headed home; away from the storm. The wind speed increased to about 120 kilometers per hour. Akiko had to use her ki in addition to her natural ability to escape it. She was being thrown around. Goten saw this and turned to help her. A bolt of purple lightning flashed between them.

            "Woah! That was close!" he hissed and dove back toward her again. He strained against the increasing wind and heavy rain. Akiko stretched her hand out to him and pushed, but the wind seemed to be blowing them apart. Their fingers were only a meter from touching. As they grew closer, another bolt ripped through the sky. Just before Goten could connect with her, the bolt hit Akiko. She cried out briefly then vanished.

            The storm suddenly dissipated and Goten was left hovering in mid-air, dumb struck. "AKIKO!?!"

-*-

            Akiko lay on the edge of a cliff, her head and right arm dangling loosely. A light sea-breeze picked up and blew a few of the drier strands of her hair. She came to. The late afternoon sun was shining and she squinted as she sat up. She held her head in her hands.

            "Ow... What happened?" She noticed the weather. "Goten?"

            Akiko flew up and scanned the area for her uncle. 

            "Goten!? Cute. Real cute. YOU CAN COME OUT NOW!!" she put her hands on her hips. "You GOT me!!"

            He didn't come out.

            "If this is another one of your practical jokes, you just wait to see what I left in your mail box!" she hollered. "Ow..." She rubbed her head. Her memory began to mend.

            "That storm..." She remembered the look on Goten's face just before she blacked out and gasped. "What the hell happened!? What if he's not ok!? Oh Kami, Gramma'll kill me!!" Akiko headed in-land.

            "Goten!?!" 'Did he leave me out here? I don't see him anywhere. This HAS to be a classic Goten gag!' Resolved to believe that her fears were unfounded, she flew home, confused and frustrated.

            Soon, she spotted a dark-haired person on the horizon flying towards her. She growled and sped up. As she grew closer, she realized that SHE was not Goten.

            "What!? Who is that!?!"

            "WHO ARE YOU!!?" the girl demanded.

            "Who are YOU? How can you fly!?" Akiko's tail unraveled from around her waist and bristled.

            "I asked you first.. You.. YOU HAVE A TAIL? Are you a SAIYAN!?!"

            "Yeah.. What of it? How do you know what a Saiyan is!?!" Akiko shouted, becoming more and more confused by the moment. Then she smirked. 'This must be the joke, eh, Goten?' she thought.

            "That's privileged information. Now, explain yourself or get ready to get pummeled!!" The girl put up her fists.

            "Look," Akiko smiled, "I don't want to hurt you.."

            The girl powered up, ignoring her. "Too bad I can't say the same for you." She charged her and delivered blows to Akiko's blocks.

            "Hey, cut it out!" Akiko was getting tired of this. "I just wanna go home!!" She flew back a bit and put her hands up to her face. "Solar Flare!!"

            "Huh!?" The girl didn't expect it. "How do you know how to do that!?!"

            With Tien's trick for cover, Akiko blasted off for home. "That was weird! That girl was serious! It was like she wanted to wipe me out!"

            Akiko flew away as fast as she could, but as she came upon Mount Paouzu  she stopped dead in the air. "What the..?" She saw her grandparents' humble little house; abandoned and dilapitated. Where her parents' house should have been right next to it, there was nothing. She stared in disbelief. 

            "Where's my house?!" She felt out for her family's ki and homed in on her father. He was a long ways off, but her instincts made her need to find him. She charged off for the north. 

            Soon, she saw two sizable dome houses with two garages in a rectangular enclosure on the horizon. Wash on the line was blowing gently in the breeze. One line of wash held a string of orange garments. As they rippled, she saw a tell-tale emblem which made her drop from the sky. She walked towards the houses and felt out for the familiar ki. She approached the red-domed house slowly and cautiously.

            "Mienai," Akiko put her hands together and cast a spell, camouflaging herself perfectly with any surrounding. She sneaked around to an open window and peered in.

            Gohan sat at a table, surrounded by a pile of books. "..my paper isn't coming along as well as I thought it was."

            "Well," a black-haired woman poured them both tea and sat next to him, "not too many people have done research on the Celtic migration to the North American continent."

            "I can't wait for Trunks to get back. He's supposed to be bringing me a study on Ogham stones."

            Akiko's eyes couldn't blink. "Dada.." she whispered. She snapped out of it as she felt the girl from before coming in fast. She landed, threw the door open and ran into the house. "Mom! Dad!"

            Both adults jumped to their feet.

            "What is it, Pan? What's wrong!?"

            "Pan, have you been fighting?" her mother took her teen-aged daughter by the shoulders and examined her face.

            "Yes! With a Blue-Haired Saiyan!!"

            "A WHAT?!"

            Akiko could take it no longer. She bolted from the house shaking her head and shivering as she went. Her invisibility faded as she lost her concentration. "Ok, this joke is NOT FUNNY, Goten!!!"

            'Where am I?' she wondered. 'I gotta talk to someone. Who the heck was that with Dada? He called that girl Pan; she called them both MOM AND DAD!!! The idea of a blue hair Saiyan was a shock to him!!' She flew blindly for miles, trying to make sense of what she had seen. Soon she came upon the city. It was getting dark. Humans be dammed, she wasn't going to land, not the way she felt now. The familiar domes of The Capsule Corporation drew her down. She landed outside the east wall, walked up to the hidden door, punched in the right code and let herself in. 

            Bulma Briefs arranged flowers in a vase in the dining room. She hummed lightly to herself.

            "Sure is quiet without everyone here," her words echoed slightly. A pinging sound caught her attention. She went to a wall and with the touch of a button revealed a security center. She pushed more buttons until she had located the breach. The camera in the private lab showed a full-color image of the back of a young, blue-haired woman's head. 

            The camera whirred as it zoomed in. Akiko turned and addressed it. "Bulma, I need to talk to you. Is that you?" Silence. "I know someone's there.. Trunks?"

            The intercom clicked on. "Who are you!? What are you doing in my lab!?" Her voice was angry but shaky. 

            "Not you too!" Akiko whined. "It's me, Akiko!!" 

            "I don't know how you got in, and I don't know any Akiko, but if you don't leave immediately I'll call security!!"

            "No! Wait! Don't! I'm not a threat! I'm sorry if you think I broke in but I've known the code to the east door for years!" As she got more and more nervous, he tail began to fidget. It swished back and forth freely. 

            "You... you have a tail!?!"

            "Not again!" she moaned. "Please Bulma! I've known you all my life. You met me when I was a newborn! You've got to help me! My Dada was with another woman and my house was gone and this girl tried to kill me and.." she was getting hysterical.

            Bulma realized that this girl was more upset than SHE was. She lifted her finger off the "Call Security" button. "How do you know me?"

            "How? I don't know how. I just HAVE. You've been friends with my family forever."

            "Which family?... Not..."

            "The Sons."

            "You're nuts if you think I'm going to believe that! Just because you're a Saiyan doesn't mean you're related to Goku!!" 

            Akiko was floored. "What!? Hey! Wait a second! I can prove I know you!" She walked to the wall. Bulma trained the camera after her movements. She took out her hoi-poi capsules and dropped one of them in the pass-tube. It shot through and ended up in the house. "Check that capsule out." She folded her arms, curled her tail back around her waist and waited. 

            Bulma was hesitant and cursed under her breath. 'Shit. If the boys were only here, I wouldn't have to deal with this.." She took the capsule and examined it. It was numbered 001.

            "Explode it on the table." 

            She did so, cautiously. A pair of what looked like sun glasses with capsule logos on the sides popped out. She had never seen them before, but there were a lot of things her company made that she had never seen. 

            "Look inside."

            Bulma picked them up and did as she was told. There, on the inside of the frames was her own personal signature: a symbol she reserved for prototypes and limited editions; things that she had actually put together herself. 

            Akiko paced back and forth in the lab. Finally the door opened. Bulma entered slowly, her eyes unblinking. She held a weapon. 

            "Who ARE you?"

            "Why don't you know me?" Akiko asked, exasperated.

            "I asked you first."

            "I'm Akiko Son."

            "And I made these. When? Where? How are you a Son?"

            "I'm Gohan's daughter."

            "Gohan's daughter is Pan."

            "So I've learned. Black hair, bad temper?"

            "That would be her."

            "I ran into her today. She wanted to kill me." Akiko pouted.

            "You didn't tell her who you were did you?"

            "Nope. She saw this," she whipped out her tail, "and that was enough."

            "It's not every day we see a new Saiyan, and when we do it's usually not a good sign." Bulma squeezed the weapon tighter.

            "I promise you, I'm not a threat." She put her hands up.

            "How do you have blue hair?"

            "My mother's a Rasha... Another alien."

            "I just don't get it..." Bulma began to relax. She put the gun down and crossed her arms. "How are you Gohan's daughter? Did he have an affair?"

            "NO!!" Akiko shouted, offended. "We have a wonderful family! Mom, Dada, Akago, Gosan and me! We live in a tiny house under Mt. Paozu..." she began to get hysterical again. 

            "It's ok, calm down. Let's talk this thing out. I want to discover just what's going on here."

-*-

            Goten hung his head in his brother's living room. 

            "She's gone!?" Gohan screamed at him. "What do you mean she's gone!?"

            "I don't know. I mean, she was there once second and then.. poof."

            "Poof?"

            He looked up and cocked his eyebrows. "Poof."

            "My daughter went 'POOF', Goten!?!" he was getting mad. He pushed his glasses back up his nose.

            "Gimme a break, will ya! I saw her disappear before my eyes! I reached out to her then she was gone! I almost touched her!"

            "I'm sorry, I just can't believe what you're telling me."

            Atsuko ran into the room. "What's going on? Goten, you look shook up. What happened?"

            Gohan turned to his wife. The look on his face made her heart sink. She had to sit down. "What's happened to Akiko?" she looked up at him. The men were silent. The sound of children laughing broke in on the scene. Atsuko jumped up and met them as the came charging into the house. 

            "Akago, Gosan. Go to your grandparents house."

            "But Mom, we just came from there," the siblings whined. 

            "Do as I say. Please!"

            They heard the gravity in her voice and obeyed. They walked out past their uncle and father, looking to them for some kind of explanation. The men did not meet their eyes. 

            "She's gone," Atsuko flopped back down when they had left.

            "Atsuko.." Goten began.

            "How did she die??! She's dead! I can't feel her!"

            "Well, she.."

            "TELL ME!!" 

            Gohan sat next to her and held her hands. "We don't know if she's... dead."

            Atsuko stared at Goten and began to cry. Gohan nodded to him and hugged her. He quit the house to leave them alone for a while.

-*-

            Bulma and Akiko talked into the night. Bulma stirred her tea and pointed at Akiko with the spoon. 

            "..So Radditz died but Goku lived! That must be it!"

            "It's hard to believe that one thing could cause so many changes." Akiko rubbed her temples. 

            "You'd be surprised. My son went back in time and altered events once, causing a dimensional shift. He changed the way things progressed, but when he returned to his own time, he found that events remained the same there. He had created a different dimension."

            Akiko stared at her friend as she spouted off this story as if she had told it a thousand times. "What?" she asked as politely as she could.

            "I take it that didn't happen where you come from either?"

            "Why would Trunks go back in time?"

            "To cure Goku of his heart disease and train to fight the Jinzouningen." 

            She stared at the woman, baffled. "Why would Trunks go back to train and FIGHT!? We zapped the Jinzouningen years ago easily, and what heart disease?"

            "The one Goku caught when he learned the Shunkan Ido?" she offered.

            "Instantaneous movement? Not in my world..." she shook her head.

            "Without Trunks's help, we would have never beaten the Artificial Humans!" Bulma tried to convince her.

            Akiko laughed out loud.

            "What!?"

            "TRUNKS!? Fight?! Ha ha! You got to be kidding me!"

            Bulma stared at her. "Are we talking about the same Trunks?"

            "Apparently not."

            Bulma got up and took a picture frame off the mantle. She handed it to Akiko. The girl stared at it and blinked. "THAT'S TRUNKS!?!"

            "Yeah.. Why?"

            "Wow, he's cuuute."

            "And yours isn't?"

            "Well, he is, but he's self-centered as hell. And he works out and all but, Woo!" She admired the biceps on the man in the photo. "Who are the other two?"

            Bulma's jaw dropped. "What do you mean? That's my husband, Vegeta and my daughter, Bra."

            Akiko raised her eyebrows. "Well I guess that explains that."

            "I'm not with Vegeta in your world?"

            "I don't even know who that is."

            "Then.. how do I have Trunks!?"

            "With Yamcha."

            Bulma fell over backwards. "I don't believe it!" She smiled, thinking that she got the better end of the bargain, even if her husband was one of the nastiest people in the known universe. "I tell you what, I'm going to make it my mission to find out what's up." She slammed her hands down on the table emphatically. We'll get to the bottom of this and get you back to YOUR Sons and Bulma."

            "Actually, You might not even have to!"

            "What?"

            "I bet my folks are gathering the Dragon Balls as we speak!"

            Bulma's jaw dropped open. "Oh... you still have Dragon Balls..." her brows came together and she pouted.

            "And you... don't?"

            She shook her head. "It's a long story. Can I still give it a shot?"

            "Can I stop you when you want to conquer something?" Akiko tested this Bulma's sense of humor. When she saw the older woman grin she smiled herself. "Well, I'm glad to see your my friend here as well."

           "This is really fascinating! Tell you what, you can stay here as long as you need. You MAY want to lie low, however. You see, my husband will probably have a problem with the way you look."

            "I can disguise myself," Akiko stood. "Henso-suru!" She worked some magic and her star disappeared and her hair turned black. Her camouflaged tail curled unseen around her waist. "Will that work?" 

            "Um.. I don't know how you did that, but, yes. That will do."

            "How do I look?" She struck a pose.

            "A bit like Pan, actually."

            "Dada says I look like Gramma Chi-chi a little, but I think I look just like my Mom."

            "This is going to be so weird."

            "YOU think this is weird! A Trunks that fights! Now THAT's weird."

-*-

            Atsuko opened her eyes. Her husband had dozed off in his chair. Goku had taken Chi-chi home hours ago. Goten had gone home to his own family shortly afterwards. Goku talked quietly with the siblings in the kitchen. They drowsily looked to their mother for some word.

            "No luck," she sighed. "Where the hell is my sister?"

            "Maybe you should get some sleep, Suko. Pick up looking for Mira tomorrow," Goku suggested.

            She nodded and looked to Gohan. He pushed himself up out of his chair and put his glasses back on. "Thanks, Dad." 

            Grampa put the kids to bed and left to walk the few feet to his own home. "Don't worry. We'll find her. Then we'll know exactly which wish to ask Shenlong. No mistakes this time. It'll all work out, like it always does," he smiled reassuringly, but Atsuko was too tired to smile back. 

-*-

            Bulma woke late. She made tea, still dressed in her bathrobe and sat in the sunshine streaming through the windows. The front door opened and the 'boys' walked in.

            "We're home!" Trunks called.

            "I'm in the kitchen!"

            Trunks closed the door behind his father and carried the bags upstairs. The Saiyan Prince wore a tight, white tee-shirt, blue jeans, black belt and boots and a light-weight black jacket which he shrugged off as he walked into the kitchen. He threaded his arm around his wife's middle, squeezed her lightly and kissed her cheek.

            "Missed you," she whispered.

            "Mmm." His lip curled into a small smile for her benefit, as if to say 'me too'.

            "So.. How'd it go!?"

            Trunks came down the back stairs and kissed his mom on the other cheek.

            "As well as could be expected," Vegeta eyed a plateful of danishes apprehensively. "I think the Brits fully understand the necessity for the increase in the import price of the new line."

            "Yeah, Mom, it was great! You shoulda seen him .."

            "I was effective, boy," his father barked without turning to face him. He took the newspaper and a danish into the sun room.

            Bulma smiled slyly and sidled up to her son. "Who would of thought Vegeta'd make a great diplomat?"

            Trunks tried hard not to laugh. "What can I say? He's just a people person!"

            They laughed quietly. Bulma handed him a cup of tea.

            "Uh, Mom?" he sipped and looked out the sliding glass door. "Who's that doing tai-chi in our back yard?"

            "Huh?" she looked where he pointed. "Wow, she's up early." She went outside and beckoned him to follow. "Good morning."

            Without turning around or opening her eyes, Akiko replied, "'Morning Bulma." She performed her moves gracefully, extending her now invisible tail for perfect balance.

            "Akiko, I'd like you to meet my son, Trunks."

            "Huh?" her eyes popped open and she swiveled her head to get a look at him.

            "Trunks, this is our... house guest, Akiko."

            He opened his mouth to say 'hi'. She turned to face him and lost her balance a little. 'Oh my god...' He extended his hand, but she was several paces from him. She stared at him in awe. He blushed a little and took a step forward at the same time she came out of her trance and did the same. They stopped and laughed awkwardly. Finally, they met in the middle and shook hands. 

            "My pleasure.. uh, that is.. nice to meet you, Akiko."

            "She'll be staying with us indefinitely, so make her feel at home. 

            "Will do." He smiled innocently at her. His mouth suddenly went dry and he felt slightly dizzy.

            She smiled back, only taking her eyes off his to look down at her hand. They were still shaking. "Thanks."

            He let go quickly and swallowed hard. "Excuse me, I have to... unpack."

            As Trunks disappeared into the house Bulma raised her eyebrows. Akiko bit her lip and to avoid embarrassment went back to her tai-chi. 

-*-

            Goten woke early and went to his brother's house. It was very quiet. The children were seated on the couch; dour looks on their faces. Atsuko was slumped in a chair, her head resting on her hand. She stared at the floor through half open eyes. Gohan stopped pacing and looked to his brother.

            "How's it going?"

            "Nothing yet."

            "You wanna start looking?"

            "For the Dragon Balls? No. First things first."

            The younger Son brother went to his sister-in-law. "Suko, is there anything I can do?" He crouched down to be at her eye-level.

            She turned only her eyes to him. "Go home to your family," she mumbled.

            He was hurt by this. "You're my family, too."

            "I'm sorry." Atsuko put her hand on top of his. "You can tell me EXACTLY what happened."

-*-

            "I don't think they really believe me," Pan stretched out on her bed and put her hands behind her head. Techno music thumped from two small, yet powerful speakers with Capsule logos on them. 

            "I believe you, Pan."

            "Thanks, Marron," Pan rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "but you'd believe me if I said I was giving up martial arts."

            "You're giving up marital arts?" she asked innocently. "Since when?"

            Pan laughed lightly, having caught her gullible friend again. Marron threw a pillow at her from her seat on the floor. She rocked herself up and crossed to the stereo. She changed the CD from a bright orange one marked PS to a white one marked BO. 

            "Bra would believe you."

            "Yeah. Little miss scientist. I miss her, damnit. Why'd she hafta be so smart?"

            Marron shuddered. "Ugh, yeah. I can't imagine the kinds of things she must be studying, or going to school so far away."

            "It's not just school, Marron. It's M.I.T. We're talking serious studying."

            "She's doing stuff that makes my head hurt just thinking about it."

            "Thinking about tying your shoes makes your head hurt."

            "Hey!!" Marron picked up a huge, stuffed panda and winged it at her.

            Pan laughed and batted the fuzzy projectile away.

            "Pan! Marron! Come downstairs! We have guests!" Videl's voice called from below.

            "Coming!" Pan shouted as she hopped off the bed. "Is that why you wear sandals?"

            "Shut up!" Marron pushed her friend out the door.

            They came elephanting down the stairs into the living room. 

            "Trunks! You're back!" Pan exclaimed, smiling. Her smile sagged a bit when she saw that the twenty-something had a female companion.

            "Yup. Gotcha a present too." He handed her a shopping bag. 

            Excited again, she ripped it open, revealing a tee-shirt with a union jack design. 

            "Coool.." Marron oohed.

            "Thanks Trunks!" Pan hugged her friend, but kept an eye on the newcomer.

            "This is our house-guest, Akiko. Akiko this is Videl's daughter Pan and Teena's daughter, Marron."

            "Hi," Pan said coldly. Marron's 'hi' was much warmer. 

            "Nice to meet you." Akiko's voice was much deeper than the other girls and rolled over her tongue with an inherent sexiness, even though she seemed nervous. This incensed Pan.

            "I'm gonna take this book over to your dad, wanna come?"

            Nah," she answered quickly. "Marron and I were kinda in the middle of something." 

            "Huh?" Marron began but was squelched by an icy look from Pan.

            "Ok," Trunks shrugged and turned to leave. "See ya later."

            "Bye!" chimed Marron. 

            "Take care Trunks. Say hi to your Mom for me." Videl and Eighteen went back to their conversation.

            "Will do."

            Pan yanked Marron back upstairs. 

            "What were you talking about? We weren't doing anything important."

            "We are now," she turned down the stereo. "Don't you think it's strange that I saw a Saiyan yesterday and today the Oujisamas have a house guest who also happens to be about twenty and female?"

            "Um.. No, you said she had blue hair."

            "Oh, Marron! How many times have YOU dyed your hair?"

            "..and cut off her tail?" She crossed her arms.

            Pan stopped her tirade. "Oh."

            "Yeah. Oh," she mimicked her and plopped down on the bed with a self-confident smile. Then she frowned. "You actually think this Akiko girl is the Blue-Haired Saiyan? Or are you just jealous because she was with Trunks?"

            "Jealous!?!" Pan, who had been musing, leaning against a wall, burst out and began pacing. "Why would I be jealous!? Trunks is just a friend. I mean, God, he's almost thirty!"

            "So? I'm 24."

            "So!? Marron! He's a year older than my uncle Goten! Besides, why would I be jealous of THAT girl? Did you see what she was wearing?"

            "Yeah, looked like that yellow tank top was a few sizes too small," Marron admitted. 

            "Who is she!?" Pan shouted, frustrated.

            "Must be friends with Bulma or something." 

            "I tell ya, there's something fishy going on, and I'm gonna find out what."

*

            Akiko followed Trunks warily down the short path between the houses. He knocked on the door. She contemplated flying away. She was freaked out enough from her second encounter with her half-sister. She did not want to MEET her father.

            Gohan answered the door. Akiko stared at him. The look of total unrecognition on his face made her go pale. 'Come on Kiko. It's not REALLY him. You can do this.'

            He greeted his friend, they exchanged pleasantries and news and Trunks's gift of a rare book. It wasn't until her name was mentioned that Akiko tuned back into what was being said. 

            "This is my mom's house guest, Akiko."

            "Hi, nice to meet you." Gohan extended his hand.

            Akiko shook it, but didn't speak. There was an awkward pause.

            "Please. Come in."

            Inside, Akiko rounded a corner and came face to face with the woman of the house. Chi-chi was dusting off picture frames on the wall. Her hair wasn't nearly as white as it was the last time Akiko has seen her. Gohan introduced her to his mother. Her face was as sweet as ever, but there was a gleam of sadness behind her eyes. She blinked a few times at Trunks and Akiko and used her hand to wipe a tear from her cheek.

            "You ok, Mom?"

            "Yes. Just dusting," she smiled weakly and walked away. Trunks examined the pictures. 

            "She still misses him," Gohan sighed.

            "We all do." 

            Akiko snapped to attention. She looked to the same pictures she had seen for years. "Miss who?"

            "My Dad." Gohan stared at the one of Goku with his sons flanking him. They were all smiling. There were no such smiles in the Son house now.

            "G.. Goku's, gone?" she whispered.

            "You know about him?" Trunks asked.

            She was so overwhelmed that she had a hard time getting a fake response out. Several things she could have said to mislead them would not come to her lips.

            "Yes."

**End Chapter Five**

**Glossary:**

Inazumaha - akiko's lightning-style Kamehameha

Nagitaosu - zap or destroy 

Mienai - invisible

Henso-suru - disguise


	7. Six

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Chapter Six**

**Note: **

(-*-) indicates a change in setting from one dimension to another. 

(*) indicates a change of scene or great lapse of time in the same dimension. 

Dialog which appears within means that the speaker is being heard telepathically. 

(***) idicates that the scene within them is a flash back.

            Akiko shut the lab door and folded her arms. 

            "Ok, tell me what happened. Why is my Grandada dead?"

            "Huh?" Bulma blinked at her. "You mean, he's alive in your..." She had to sit down. "Oh, you are so lucky! I miss Son-kun so much sometimes. He was my best friend. But you probably know that." She looked up at Akiko. The girl looked lost.

            "Please tell me."

            "Well," Bulma began to recount a very long story to her. "A few years ago this guy named Pilaf got a hold of the Dragon Balls..."

            "Pilaf? Little, short, blue guy?"

            "The same. Well, fortunately he botched his wish, but he turned Goku into a kid again. When the wish was completed we realized that the Dragon Balls he had used were ancient, tainted, black-star Dragon Balls. They scattered across the universe and wreaked havoc for us."

            Akiko looked more and more skeptical as the story unfolded.

            "To make it short, everyone turned evil, the world exploded and Goku was finally killed while bringing everything back to normal again."  

            "But he's Goku!" she protested. "He always wins! He always comes back!"

            "Vegeta told me afterwards that Goku was absorbed into Shenlong before the Dragon left this world. The good Dragon Balls left with him."

            "That's terrible!"

            "Well, we're doing all right without them so far, but then again, we haven't had any real confrontations with huge, evil powers since then... not yet anyway..."

            The women emerged from the lab via the walk-through and entered the living room. Trunks sat watching the afternoon market report. Vegeta came down the front stairs and headed for the gravity room. He eyed the new girl suspiciously. He eyed his son eyeing the new girl even more suspiciously. Akiko had been avoiding him all week. 'Bulma must have warned her to steer clear,' he thought. He smirked inwardly and went out to the gravity chamber. 

            Akiko sighed as the short, yet intimidating man stopped staring at her and left the room. She slumped down into a chair and wrinkled her nose. 'Oh god, is that me?' she wondered at the faint smell of sweaty Saiyan. She picked at her tank-top.

            "Trunks?" his mother asked him. "Can you do me a favor?"

            "Uh?" he mumbled and pretended to be staring at the TV.

            "Can you make a run to the mall for me, I have a million things backed up I gotta do."

            "I, uh.. the mall?" he cringed. If there was one thing he hated doing, it was shopping. Living with two born-and-bred shop-a-holics had scarred him. The word 'mall' sent shivers down his spine. What a waste of time! Just sitting there, waiting and waiting for the women to buy heaping piles of clothes and accessories, it drove him NUTS!

            "Akiko's luggage has been lost," she explained.

            He looked at the girl and noticed that her clothes were a bit dirty and wrinkled. 

            "And she's not familiar with this area, I thought maybe you could..."

            "Sure."

            Bulma batted her eyes at him, not believing what she heard. "Um.. good!"

            Akiko held her hands behind her back and bowed her head. "Thanks."

            "No Problem."

            'No Problem!?' Bulma thought. 'This is great! He MUST like her!' She beamed. Had her son finally found a decent girl?

            Trunks lead Akiko into his sister's favorite store. The sales women recognized him and flocked around him. He ordered them to take care of Akiko. They shooed out all other customers and began a rather Disney-like dance around her, falling short of singing. Trunks smiled, sat in a chair and sipped a lemonade he got at the pretzel booth. Akiko disappeared into the changing room. 

            He watched the people passing by the windows, looking in, wondering what all the fuss was about. The black-haired Akiko emerged wearing a pair of bike-kneed khakis and a pale, green, turtle-neck sweater. He raised an eyebrow.

            "What do you think?" she smiled innocently.

            "Nice." He was taken aback. She was beautiful. 

            A sales girl pulled her hair back and put it up in a pony tail. Akiko examined herself in the mirror. "I like it too."

            "NEXT!" shouted the head sales girl and ushered her back into the changing room.

            Trunks mused on the possibilities and turned back to people watching. He met the rather angry eyes of a young woman with long, yellow, corn-row braids and 10 centimeter long, blue fingernails. 

            "Ah! Shieler!" He bolted out of his chair and ran out into the promenade.

            "What are you doin' at the mall!?" she demanded.

            "I uh.. that is.. I was just..."

            "I thought you didn't DO shopping?!" She was irate.

            "I don't! Ya see, my Mom..."

            "Oh, so your MOM is in there..." Shieler did not sound like she believed him.

            "No! I mean..."

            An oblivious Akiko came out of the dressing room and into the mall.

            "Whaddaya think of THIS?" she struck a pose in a long, green evening gown. "I think it goes really well with my hair..." 

            Trunks hunkered down and clenched his teeth.

            Shieler's jaw dropped. "WHO is THAT?!" she demanded some more.

            "I'm Akiko," she replied and extended her hand.

            Shieler threw her own claw-like hand up in the air, her palm facing the other girl. "Uh-uh! No! I don't think so. You cannot be serious. You are a dog! I can't even believe this!"

            Trunks tried to calm her down, waving his hands wildly. She pushed past him and got up in Akiko's face. "You think you're hot chit, huh, Miss Thang?"

            "Hot what?" Akiko stood her ground.

            "You better recognize!"

            "Actually," she laughed, "you do look kinda familiar!" She realized where she knew her from; T was dating the same girl!

            "Oh, that's it, biatch, I'm gonna mess you up!" Shieler pushed her with her chest and flung her nails around her face. Akiko quickly reached up and grabbed her hands. 

            "Look, I don't really like making scenes, but if you keep this up, I'll be happy to accommodate you." She squeezed the woman's wrists hard enough to show her some power. "Settle down. You're a nice young woman. Quit acting like a little girl." She released her and Sheiler shrank away, scared and ashamed. 

            Trunks stared, slack-jawed at the scene that Akiko had in fact made. They went back into the store. "Thanks," he sighed as Shieler dropped out of earshot. 

            "But, I thought two you were.."

            "I've been trying to dump her for months. She's a psycho." 

            Akiko laughed to herself "I know!"

-*-

            "Mira..." Atsuko repeated her sister's name for the millionth time. "Please, where are you?" She hadn't eaten or slept very well for the last week. Sleep pulled her down, now, threatening to end this attempt at contacting the sorceress. "Mira..."

            "Atsuko?"

           She sat up straight in her chair and gasped. "MIRA! Oh Kami, we've been looking for you for days! Where are you! We need your help!" she thought to her frantically.

            "I have been in deep mediation, I am sorry. What is wrong!?"

            "Akiko's gone!"

            "What?!"

-*-

            Akiko was getting a little nervous because she hadn't been wished back yet. She was beginning to share Bulma's enthusiasm about finding a scientific explanation, but after hours of discussion and research, she needed a break. They had been working on her little problem all morning. After deliberating the cause and effect of her dimensional crossing, the two women were no closer to a solution. She wandered out into the sunshine. Akiko put her hands on her hips and looked to the gravity chamber. The sounds of training rattled through the complex. Unbeknownst to her, Vegeta was currently tackling 600 Gs. Akiko sighed. It had been a week since she had had a decent workout. 

            Almost as if on cue, Trunks walked out of the house wearing a capsule tank top and a pair of sweat pants. She watched him stride across the lawn in his bare feet and smiled as an idea crossed her mind. Maybe she'd ask him if he'd spar with her. She'd have to go easy on him, of course. He was only human.

            "Hey, wait up!" called a familiar voice. Goten burst out of the door and flew after Trunks. Akiko darted behind a shrubbery. She stared at them in disbelief as Trunks grinned, turned and blurred. Goten did the same and their clashes reverberated throughout the courtyard.

            "What the..?" She followed their movements easily. "Trunks IS a fighter!" she smiled wildly. "Oh, wow! He's good, too!"

            "Hey, guys!" Bulma hollered from a window, "Take it out of here, ok? I just re-planted the garden!"

            "K, Mom!"

            "Trunks!" Akiko pretended to come out of the building. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

            "Uh, sure. Akiko, this is Goten."

            She jogged over to them and bowed to her uncle. She beamed. The weirdness of having to meet her own relatives had subsided, and now she was just glad to see that her best friend was also Trunks's. 

            "We're gonna go spar. See ya later."

            "Oh, wait, can I come with?"

            The men looked at each other. "Uh.. I dunno if that's a good idea."

            She was feeling cocky. She spread her feet and bowed again. "Try me."

            Goten shrugged and looked to Trunks for permission. He bowed to the girl.

            Vegeta emerged from the chamber and was lured around the corner by the sound of blows. He didn't expect to see what he saw. Goten was matched fairly well as Akiko threw punches at him. She seemed to know what moves he would make. Even though he was holding back, Goten was impressed. 

            She gritted her teeth. The desire to go all out was all-consuming. Her Saiyan hunger for dominance bit her deeply. 'Come on Kiko, settle down.' She did so and was knocked down by a blow to her abdomen.

            "Oh my god! I'm sorry, are you ok!?" Goten exclaimed. 

            Akiko recovered quickly. "Yeah, just a little rusty I guess." She smiled at him.

            Trunks was amazed. He opened his mouth to invite her along.

            "I think I'm gonna get back to work, though." She stood up. "I'm assisting Bulma." Akiko backed away. "You guys have fun." As she turned her back on them her smile fell. She wanted to join them so badly, but it would give away her secret and she was certain no good could come of their knowing it. Her decision was confirmed as she saw the nasty look on Trunks's father's face. He turned and went into the house, as if to say 'I'm keeping an eye on you, girl.'

-*-

            Goten leaned back against the trunk of the tree and rested his right arm on his right knee. He looked up into the branches at the dappled light filtering thought the foliage. He was trying very hard to think of something else, but each moment he thought of his niece and punched himself inwardly. Somehow he felt that this was his fault. He was her guardian. Every time she'd gotten herself into hot water, he was there to bail her out. He had failed her. He closed his eyes.

            ***

            A teenage Goten chased Akiko through the woods. She giggled as she dodged her uncle, weaving through the bamboo trees with the grace only an innate ability to fly can produce. The sky was over-cast. In the small house next to Goku's, Atsuko was feeding her babies. Gosan babbled cluelessly while Go-Chan repeated the word 'no' in an humorous tone. She laughed and prevented her mother from putting a green, glop-laden spoon in her mouth. Atsuko was just as smarmy, repeating 'yes' in a baby voice. Akiko whizzed by the window with Goten hot on her heels.

            "Akiko, Goten, be careful, there's a storm coming," Atsuko called out without looking away from her task.

            They were out of earshot before the warning reached them. 

            "Ok mama!"

            "Ok Suko!"

            They zipped away from the house in the direction of the looming clouds. 

            They stopped when they reached the shore. Akiko faced her uncle and took a fighting stance. 

            "Ok, Goten, I'm warmed up now! Let's go!"

            "All right, remember what I taught you yesterday."

            She bowed and they began. Goten spread his feet apart and began to chant. "Kamekame.." Akiko stood in place, ready to take the blast. 

            "Ha!" His attack bloomed out from the boy's hands and hurtled at Akiko. She threw up her hands and blocked the beam. It diffused in a hemisphere in front of the girl. The dust cleared and she opened her eyes. 

            "Yay!" Akiko clapped her hands together. Goten crossed his arms and glared at her with a cockeyed smile. 

            "What?"

            "What did you forget to do?"

            "Huh? Umm..." She tried to think. 

            He closed his eyes and pointed his left index finger at them.

            "Crud."

            "You do that against someone who really wants to blast you, you're not going to see his next move."

            "But Goten," she whined, "I can FEEL his next move!" she pointed to her star.

            "You have eyes too! Use them! Ka me ka me.."

            He continued to launch a barrage of attacks at the eight-year old, which she batted away from all angles, not matter how quickly Goten shot them off. The sky grew darker and a loud crack drew their attention. 

            "Uh-oh." Akiko looked up and dodged another blast with a tilt of her head.

            Goten straightened and took to the air. "Let's get back." He looked to her as he lead her home. She smiled, shrugged and opened her mouth to say something, but was cut short as she was struck by a thick bolt of lightning. 

            "AKIKO!!" he shouted and flew to her. She fell out of the sky, semi-conscious, but recovered before she hit the ground. She landed on her feet. Goten landed in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. They were hot and smoking. 

            "Whoa..." she breathed out a puff of smoke; her eyes were wide, her hair was a puff-ball. 

            Goten laughed nervously. "You ok?"

            She nodded and looked at her palms. She balled her hands into fists and turned away from him. Forcing her arms out from her body, she released a blast of electric energy three times that of the blast which struck her. 

            Goten stared in amazement. "Holy crap!!"

            "Yummy," she smirked. "That felt like about 30 thousand amps. Wow," she shivered and smiled at him. 

            ***

            Her smile stuck in his mind even after he opened his eyes. Goten stood up and left his seat under the tree. There was a commotion in the house. He went in to see what he could do for his family.

-*-

            Trunks dropped a clear liquid from an eye-dropper into a tall glass of milk and gulped it down. He smacked his lips and sighed. Akiko strolled in, singing loudly to herself.

            "'Kinokiita, otoko no ko, koko shibaraku deawani. Yasashikute kawaikute okanemochi no otoko no...' Oh! Didn't see you there!" she laughed nervously. "How was your spar?"

            "Pretty good," he blushed slightly and replied. He was sweaty and his clothes were in tatters. Akiko either didn't seem to notice or care. He made for the back stairs for a quick exit, but stopped himself. "Akiko, what are you doing tonight?"

            She was amazed. He had kept his distance from her all week for some reason and now he was interested in what she was doing? "Same as every night, not a damn thing."

            He snorted a little laugh. "You wanna... go to dinner?"

            "Dinner?" she asked as if this was a new concept.

            "Yeah, like, out."

            "Out."

            "Yeah, out. To dinner." He was just as awkward as she was.

            "Ok."

            "Ok!"

            "Ok.." she laughed a little and he put his glass down and backed out of the kitchen.

            "About seven?"

            Akiko forced her stomach to keep from grumbling. "..Uh, ok."

            "Ok.." Trunks smiled and went up to take a shower. 

            She rolled her eyes at her naivite and continued to sing. "Honto ni Kamisama anata wa fukouhei..!"

-*-

            "It will take some time, but I think I can do it." Mira's words fed in Atsuko's head. She pursed her lips and tears rolled down her face. 

            "Thank you, Mira! Thank you!"

            Her family waited anxiously to be told the news.

            "She's going to look for her. She thinks that Akiko may have been transported somewhere. Somewhere far away..."

            "Another planet?" Goten asked.

            "Another galaxy?" Gohan fretted.

            "Another dimension."

-*-

            The China Rose was packed, but there was a perfect table reserved for Mr. Oujisama. Akiko ordered 3 appetizers, 2 soups, 5 entrees and drank 6 pots of tea by herself. Trunks stared at her healthy, almost Saiyan-like appetite. His suspicions seemed to have some validity. She was tough enough to pop back up after Goten's left hook and now the food... Could she really be the Blue Haired Saiyan? Why was she hiding herself? What sinister purpose did she have in store for them? Looking at her daintily stuff her face, he could think of no reason. Her eyes were such a perfect shade of grey-blue...

            Music played in the background: slow dance music, but there was no dance floor. Trunks cursed his choice of restaurant. He signed at the rather steep check. As they made their way out, a large, open window caught his attention. He smiled.

            "Before we go, you have to see this." He lead her out to the balcony. The stars were out in profusion. Music and the din of diners floated in on the cool evening breeze. Akiko's green dress ruffled. The river below shimmered with the myriad lights from the city on the western bank.

            "Oh! It's so pretty!" Akiko sighed and looked to him. "I must seem like such a county girl to you. All of this is so new. I've been to the city before, but only a few times..." She stopped short of saying she mostly stayed within the bounds of the Capsule Complex. 

            He put his hand over hers on the railing and smiled back. "Nah, I think it's pretty too." 

            She blushed in the darkness and panicked. "Too bad there's no moon..."

            He arched a lavender eyebrow. "Yeah, I would have liked to have seen it."

            'Uh-oh,' she thought. 'What's he talking about?! Oh my God! There's no moon! What happened to it?' she started to hyper-ventilate. Trunks squeezed her hand and gave her a concerned look. 'What am I doing here? With HIM! I must be insane to think that I could fit in here! I want to go home!!!'

            "Akiko, are you all right?"

            She sighed finally. "I guess I'm just.. homesick. Very, very homesick."

            He turned to her and took her by the shoulders. "If you feel so bad, why don't you go back home?" Trunks pouted so sympathetically it made her want to cry.

            She looked down at her feet. "I can't."

            "If you ever need to talk about it, you can trust me, Akiko."

            "Thanks," she whispered and fell silent. After five minutes of silence, Trunks took Akiko back to Capsule.

*

            Trunks turned off the 11 o'clock news and started getting ready for bed. The phone rang and he answered it in his boxers. "Yeah?"

            "You still awake?"

            "It's only 11:30, Pan," he grumbled.

            "Well?"

            "Well what?"

            "WELL WHAT!?! Trunks! Did she do anything weird or Saiyan-like!?"

            Trunks sighed and set his alarm clock, resting the handset between his chin and shoulder. "Not really.."

            "No?"

            "Nope."

            "Are you sure?"

            "Yes, Pan. I'm sure," he lied. "She's just a sweet, sad girl."

            Pan cringed but her intrest was piqued. "Sad?"

            "Yeah, she's homesick."

            "Really...?" Pan cooed.

            "Yes, Pan. I have a corporation to run in the morning and I believe you have school. Does your Mom know you're up this late on a Thursday?"

            "NO! And she's not gonna find out!" she threatened him.

            "Goodnight, Pan."

            "Night." Click.

            Click. "Finally." He flopped down on his bed. "Off," he commanded and the lights dimmed to black.

*

            Akiko moped into the kitchen late the following morning and found Bulma making tea as usual. The girl got out a box of cereal, a gallon of milk and a large mixing bowl. Bulma stared at her and smiled to suppress laughter. 

            "You don't have to do that, you know."

            "What, eat?"

            Bulma took a bottle out of the cupboard marked SDSM3. "Saiyan Dietary Supplement Mark 3," she explained. "A couple of drops in liquid and one bowl will be enough to fulfill you."

            Akiko raised her brows.

            "If I hadn't come up with that little number I'd be a pauper by now."

            "Why, what Saiyans do you have to feed?"

            Bulma's eyes bugged out of her head. "Um... You don't know that... Vegeta's a Saiyan?"

            "WHAT!?!" Akiko shouted. The older woman quickly covered her mouth. The name finally clicked. "Omm mmyh mmmahhh.." She pulled her hand away. "I remember! Vegeta, the Prince. Oujisama, I get it now! But, I thought he was.."

            "Evil? Yes, he is.. sort of.." Bulma smirked.

            "Well, that and.. Oh, you're not gonna like this." She motioned for her to take a seat. "Stop me when I lose you. When Vegeta and the big guy came to Earth they fought the Z warriors..."

            Bulma nodded.

            "Tien, Yamcha, Chaozu and Piccolo were killed by the big guy. My grandfather was killed by Vegeta before my father, Krillin and Yajerobi finished him off."

            Bulma swallowed hard. She was shocked. "That explains why he's not in my life over there..." She shook herself and thought about the strangeness of destiny. 

            Akiko fidgeted and scrutinized the dropper bottle.

            "It's tasteless, try it. It's just too bad I can't get it to work for humans."

            "So, Trunks and Bra are half-Saiyans?"

            She nodded.

            Akiko dropped the supplement in her milk and frowned.

            "What's wrong? You haven't even tried it yet."

            "That's not it, Bulma! This just makes it worse!"

            "What makes what worse!?"

            "That Trunks is a Saiyan, too! He's all the more perfect!"

            Bulma fell over but recovered quickly. "NO WAY! You DO like him! And he said the date went horribly!"

            "IT DID!" Akiko bawled. "I'm in love with him, but I'm not me! I'm a walking lie! How can anyone fall in love with a lie!? And even if he does, I may disappear at any moment!" she burst into tears. 

            Bulma patted her back and tried to comfort her. "There, there! You can't live your life in fear of disappearing. You might as well enjoy yourself while you're here. Even if you can only be together for a short time, I'd much rather see him with you that his usual choice of female companion! Do you think if he found out he'd hate you or something?"

            "I don't know," she sniffed.

            "Maybe you should just tell him the truth."

            "I'm scared to," she admitted.

            "Well, he's scared to tell you too," Bulma smiled slyly as she hatched a plot.

            "Tell me what?"

            "That he's falling in love with you."

            "Are you sure!?!" Akiko beamed.

            "He went to the mall with you didn't he? He can't take his eyes off you whenever you're together and he's been dropping weird hints for days. Yeah, I'm sure."

            Akiko's heart went pin-balling around in her chest. She levitated out of her seat. "Ow, wow!" she sighed and her eyes became hearts.

            "Where are you going?!"

            "To get dressed!" she flew to the stairs. "I gotta find an outfit that goes with blue!"

  
*

            Trunks doodled on his Capsule pad with his Capsule pen wearing a Capsule tie in the monthly Capsule board meeting. He drew stick figures with blue monkey tails and wild blue hair. Occasionally he nodded absently to what he was supposed to being paying attention to. He'd become a very good CEO after profits took a dive a couple of years ago. He never thought his Mother would forgive him! The way Trunks saw it, if he could save the world he could run a company so he busted his ass and took control. Everyone in the room knew he was a capable chief. They also knew he was a very peculiar, young man.

            He stared at the glass of water in front of him and blinked vacantly. He was almost thirty and so far he hadn't found a girl he'd be willing to put up with forever, until he met Akiko. She had potential. She could cook, fight, sing, laugh and she was beautiful to boot. If only she would just trust him! She had to be the Blue-Haired Saiyan, nothing else explained her strange ways. His doodles took up the entire sheet and he was about to tear it off but stopped and lifted his head up suddenly. The breeze coming in from the open, long, rectangular windows picked up his stray hairs and made them dance across his face. He sniffed the air twice and concentrated. The man who had been speaking stopped and blushed. Trunks sniffed again. "Do you smell that?!"

            More board members blushed and shook their heads. Trunks stood and planted his hands on the table. Sniff sniff. "What IS that!?!"

            They sniffed and shrugged. "What does it smell like, Mr. Oujisama?"

            "Like.. I don't know! I can't explain it.. it smells (sniiiifff) WONDERFUL!!" He went to the third story window and inhaled deeply. "AH! What IS that!?! I have to find it!" He leapt from the sill and followed his nose.

            The board members simply rolled their eyes.

*

            Akiko flung clothes left and right as she searched for the perfect outfit. Many of the colors she had bought clashed terribly with her now very visible blue hair and tail. She finally settled on a dark purple tank-top and a pair of khaki shorts. She ripped a two-centimeter hole in the seat of these, pulled her tail through them and was buttoning them up when the door flew open. She spun and gasped.

            "Vegeta!?"

            He was sniffing the air rapidly, but stopped once his eyes came to rest on the tail. She made a dash for the window, but the older man was in front of her before she could blink. 

            "Going somewhere?"

            She growled instinctively in the face of her foe, but pleaded with him. "I don't mean you any harm."

            "Pity. If you wanted to hide out in my house, you shouldn't have fallen in love with my son, It's given you away," he smirked.

            "What are you talking about?" she clenched her teeth.

            "You stink to high heaven!" The look of total confusion on her face wiped the smirk off his. "You're serious aren't you? You DON'T know! Your Saiyan pheromones! Any Saiyan male can smell your raging hormones for miles! And apparently," he sniffed deeply, "you're as ripe as a peach!"

            "What!?" she blushed.

            "Now tell me what you're doing here and where you came from or I'll beat it out of you!!"

            "BACK OFF!" Trunks growled from the window.

            "Trunks!" Akiko shouted.

            Vegeta smirked again and flew out at his son. "Make me!"

            Father and son blurred as they exchanged blows. Akiko stared, mouth agape, unable to comprehend what was going on. "Stop.." she whispered.

            "Are you crazy, boy? Can't you see what she is!?"

            "Of course I can! It doesn't matter what she is!"

            "You're not thinking with your brain! Snap out of it!"

            Trunks took a few blows. "Dad, I'm warning you!"

            Vegeta was shocked. This was the first time his son had ever dared defy him. 

            "I said..." Trunks brought his fists down on his father's head, dropping him out of the sky and burying him several feet into the ground. "BACK OFF!!" He swooped into the window and grabbed Akiko. She didn't resist. He threw her over his shoulder and flew back down to his father. 

            "I'll find out what you want to know. Don't follow me." 

            They were miles away before Vegeta emerged from the hole. Bulma ran over to see what the matter was.

            "Vegeta!?! What happened?"

            "Your idiot son managed to stand up for himself for once, that's what." He dusted himself off and walked away without meeting her eyes.

            She folded her arms and huffed. "Men."

*

            "Uh, Trunks?" Akiko mumbled after a few minutes of silent flight. "Where are we going?"

            His head cleared and he blinked at the perfect hind end and nervously twitching tail draped over his shoulder. "Oh!" He made an embarrassed face and released her. "Sorry." He stopped and was a little surprised when she levitated in front of him. "I don't know, just away from him."

            "Did you mean what you said? That it doesn't matter?" She grasped her tail and stroked it. 

            "Of course. I kind of already knew it was you. Pan tipped me off."

            "You did!? Even before last night!?"

            He nodded. They hung awkwardly in the air. 

            "Trunks. There's more to it than this..."

            He smiled, got closer and put his fingers to her lips. "Could it make me think any less of you?"

            "Well, no..." she admitted.

            "Then it can wait." He ran his thumb over the star on her forehead curiously, held her face in his hands and drew her closer. She released her tail and put her arms around him. They sank slowly out of the sky. He kissed her like she was a cold glass of water in a record-breaking heat wave. 

*

            "She's from another dimension, she's not related to you and she's NOT an enemy. It's an accident that she's even here. She just happened on Capsule and befriended me when you guys were in England. We've been working on a way to get her back home to her.. Saiyans."

            Bulma watched her husband closely, translating his reaction to her half-truths from the minute shifting in the shape and character of his eyes. He wasn't happy, but satisfied. She sighed quietly. "Besides, she's a good kid and your son loves her."

            "Fine." He turned his back on her. "But I don't care if she's the second coming, one wrong move and she's fair game."

            "Fine."

            He stalked off. She folded her arms again and made a face. 'It's almost like he's being respectful, in his own weird way...' she thought and smiled.

-*-  
            The orb between Mira's hands grew until it was about as big as her head. Cool colors swirled inside of it. The outside shone like glass. This solidified into a hard shell and it glowed brightly as she took her hands away. The orb floated in her lap and she scrutinized it carefully. "Almost..."

-*-  
            Akiko's homesickness faded considerably after she "came out". Everyone had learned about her secret, and after a brutal sparring session, even Pan accepted her presence (albeit grudgingly). Vegeta warmed to her finally when she cooked the Oujisamas and Goten dinner one night. Although Vegeta didn't complement her excellent job, he ate everything on his plate. 

            She finished washing the dishes and laughed at one of Bulma's jokes. Vegeta sat down in the living room and turned on Whose Line Is It Anyway. Even he was laughing that night. He cackled out loud for everyone to hear as the comics presented the world's worst occupations. 

            "Wow, Akiko," Goten patted his stomach, "I didn't think anybody could cook like my Mom, but you're great! Where'd you learn to make food like that?" 

            Trunks grinned from ear to ear and kissed her on the cheek. "A meal fit for a Saiyan Prince," he purred into her ear. 

            She smiled weakly and gripped his arm. "Can we go somewhere and talk?"

*

            "What's up, Sweet?" 

            "I need to tell you the whole story." 

            He frowned and shook his head, but she protested.

            "Don't freak and don't tell anyone, especially not Vegeta. The only person who knows is Bulma." She took a deep breath and went for it. "My name is Akiko… Son."

            Trunks went white. His jaw dropped and he started to laugh. "Oh my god, ha ha.. wha.. what, which..?"

            "I'm Gohan's daughter."

            "HA HA! That was IT!?!" he laughed, relieved. 

            She nodded and began to laugh as well. "You expected something worse?"  
            "I thought you were gonna say you were related to me or something!!"

            They laughed and kissed and turned in for the night.

*

            Trunks woke up in the middle of the night and looked over at the clock. 3:34 AM. He moaned and wondered what he was doing awake. Even after a few weeks, it was still a pleasant shock to him to realize he was in bed with a female Saiyan. He spooned her and nuzzled the back of her neck. 

            "What?" she murmured.

            "Just snootchin'" he murmured back.

            "I'm trying to sleep.." 

            "Well, soorrryy.."

            "Mira..."

            "Huh?" he stopped snuzzling and listened carefully. "Mira?"

            "Whaddaya want?" she moaned.

            "What's goin' on, Kiko?" he urged her, knowing she was talking in her sleep.

            "I'm happy here.."

            "Kiko, wake up," he nudged her gently.

            "Mira, Mira.." she called out and woke up confused. "MIRA!?!"

            Trunks stared at her in the dim light. 

            "AKIKO! can you hear me?"

            "Yes, yes! Where are you!?"

            "I'm only miles from you, but dimensions away."

            "Are you going to wish me home!?"

            "Well, we are prepared to do that, but I think there is something you should know first. When I was searching for you, I found something. Something horrible in store for the people of that Earth."

            "Horrible?" she sobered. "What is it?"

            "I searched for Rasha, knowing you would stand out like a sore thumb and I was disturbed to find many thousands of Rasha.."

            "What are you saying, Mira..?"

            "They're headed for Earth. I think they mean to colonize the planet."

            "What?.." 

            Trunks grasped her shoulders. "What's wrong? Akiko, who are you talking to?"

            "You're going to need help. We're coming."

**End Chapter Six**

**Notes:**

            I've given Vegeta, Trunks and Bra a sur-name (Oujisama). If this is confusing, see Popping The Question. -aks

**Glossary:**

"Kinokiita, otoko no ko, koko shibaraku deawanai.

Yasashikute kawaikute okanemochi no otoko no ko."

"Honto ni Kamisama anata wa fukouhei."

"Good boys, I don't really find them lately.

A sweet, cute, rich boy."

God, you are really unfair."

            -from 'La Depression' by Pizzicato Five off the Play-Boy Play Girl LP.


	8. Seven

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Chapter Seven**

**Note: **

(-*-) indicates a change in setting from one dimension to another. 

(*) indicates a change of scene or great lapse of time in the same dimension. 

Dialog which appears within means that the speaker is being heard telepathically. 

(***) indicates that the scene within them is a flash back.

            The screen flashed as Bulma zoomed in on the coordinates. The ships appeared as a mass of blips. She typed furiously. Vegeta, Akiko and Trunks leaned over her shoulder, trying to make sense of the information. As she completed her equations, Akiko gasped. 

            "Well, what is it!?" the older Saiyan barked.

            "There's eleven hundred of them," Akiko muttered.

            "And at this rate..." Bulma clicked away on the keyboard. "They'll be here in.. less than a week!".

            Vegeta was unmoved. "So, one thousand one hundred star-heads are going to try to take this planet as their own?" he scoffed.

            "No, Mr. Oujisama, 1,100 SHIPS, maybe more, and have you ever fought a 'star-head'?" Akiko was 1/2 Rasha, but her 1/4 Saiyaness boiled at the insult.

            "Can't say I've had the pleasure." Vegeta grimaced.

            "Dad..." Trunks tried to calm him, but he wasn't listening. Bulma was wrapped up in her calculations.

            "No, Trunks. I want this. It's about time." Akiko bowed and motioned for the Prince to lead the way.

*

            Vegeta stood in the early morning air with his arms crossed. Akiko used her ki to fly; she wasn't going to show him her Rasha powers until she had him at a disadvantage. "Come on, old man. Try me!" she baited him. He grinned and flew at her. She blocked his punches. He was toying with her, she could tell. Suddenly, she was afraid that she might have gotten herself into serious trouble. She threw her own punches and soon they were blurring. 

            Trunks watched this and his gritted teeth. He was ready to intervene should his father go too far. Akiko took a hit and fell out of the sky. Vegeta growled and dove below her, sure that she couldn't recover in time to stop him from batting her back up into the air. He appeared below her and the grin dropped from his face as hers appeared. She darted around quickly and kicked him in the back. 

            'How did she do that!?' he thought wildly.

            She performed aerial gymnastics around him, blurring at the same time, battering him from all sides. Akiko sweat, not from exertion, but from fear. When was he going to turn it on? Trunks had said that this man had once gone as high as fourth lever Super-Saiyan and she wasn't even capable of surpassing one! She felt his ki rise and braced herself.   
            "Final..!!"

            Trunks gasped. "Dad, NO!!"

            Akiko charged in half the time it took Vegeta to muster the Final Flash and pointed her index finger at him. "Nagitaosu!" A direct hit to the chest with a ki attack definitely stung a bit, but 20,000 amps was another story. The Prince did not expect it. His hair puffed out and he screamed. His teeth glowed. His eyes rolled back into his head and he fell.

            Trunks couldn't believe his eyes. Akiko darted down and grabbed Vegeta before he hit. 

            "So, you're struggling to regain consciousness," she noted in a  sober tone. "In just a few seconds, you will. In just a few seconds," she put her hand to his chest, "I can pump enough electricity into your heart to deep-fry you in your own blood." She let him drop the few inches to the ground. He sputtered as he clawed his way into a sitting position. "I suggest you give me a little more respect. You're all going to have to learn how to beat these guys. If a half-breed Rasha can take you out, just think what possible thousands can do to this world." 

            He stood up and glowered at her. She braced herself for the worst. Trunks stared, slack jawed. Vegeta put his fists on his hips. "Well then, we better get training. Get Kakarott's brood together, I'm sure they wouldn't want to be left out of this. Bulma!" he called up to his wife. She peered down from the second story lab window. "Call your daughter."

            "I'd love to, but..." Bulma's voice was a little panicked, "I don't know how they did it, but the Rasha have debilitated our communications infrastructure. Satellites aren't functioning and radio waves are being scrambled all over the planet!"

            Vegeta looked a little worried.

            "She'll be here in a few hours then. Bra knows enough to come straight home when the shit hits the fan," Trunks re-assured his father. He nodded his thanks and tried to think of what to do next. 

            A bright glow to his left soon put those thoughts on the back-burner.

-*-

            "Ok, we ready?" Gohan asked his family and friends. The Sons had called upon the other Z Warriors to help fight the inevitable war in the other dimension. Everyone nodded. 

            Mira handed her crystal ball to Atsuko. "Hold on to this my sister, just in case."

            Atsuko raised her eyebrow, but took it anyway. Mira turned to the balls on the ground and spread her arms wide. "Shenlong, the Eternal Dragon, I, Mira Uenijimenshitanisora call you forth to grant my wish!"

            The dawn skies turned black and the Dragon Balls glowed and sparked as the dragon snaked its way into the sky. "What is it you need of me, Sorceress?" Shenlong bellowed.

            "Please take those who stand before you in the dimension of Dibad to Akiko Son in the dimension of Etibi!"

            Krillin looked to Goku as if to say 'what the heck is she talking about?' but got an 'I have no clue' from the Saiyan. Yamcha gritted his teeth and hoped he wouldn't die again. The Dragon looked at the Z Warriors and nodded. "Your wish is.."

            Gohan swallowed deep. 'Come on... work!'

            "..Partially granted." Mira and her niece and nephew, Akago and Gosan vanished in a twinkling. Everyone who was left behind began to shout at the Dragon.

            "No! What the hell!?! This isn't fair!" Goten screamed at Shenlong.

            "Perhaps not, but it is all I can do." It shrunk back down into the balls and they scattered across the globe once more. 

            Yamcha couldn't help but sigh with relief. Atsuko could take it no more. She clutched the large crystal ball and began to cry. "Why?"

            Gohan stopped yelling and turned to his wife. "Don't worry Suko.." he tried to come up with something re-assuring to say, but could think of nothing. 

            "Why, Gohan? Why ALL my babies!? What did I do wrong!? What higher power did I piss off!?!"

            "I don't know, Atsuko, I don't know."

            Goten stomped away to blow off some steam. Gohan hugged Atsuko as she looked up into the sky and wept. 

            "Atsuko?"...

-*-

            "MIRA!!" Akiko ran at her Aunt. Gosan and Akago looked around for the rest of their party. "Where's everyone else?" she asked worriedly.

            "I was afraid of this," the sorceress muttered. Akiko shushed her and walked her away from Vegeta. "There are many laws in the realm of magic, as you well know."

            Akiko nodded and bit her lip.

            "Shenlong, being a magical creature, cannot create, by magical law, a paradox." The siblings hugged their sister and listened to Mira. "We are the only beings which do not create a paradox by being here."

            "You mean, everyone else, already exists here?"

            She nodded.

            "Even Mom? And what about Grandada? He's..." she looked down at her sibs. "He's dead here."

            They gasped and looked at each other. 

            "Apparently, that does not matter. As for your mother, I assume she is on her way." Mira looked to the sky.

            "Oh no…"

            Mira held up her hand and formed a ball which solidified. "Atsuko?"

            "Mira!?!"

            "Mom!"

            "Kiko-baby!!"

            Vegeta was surprised to discover that even his Saiyan ears couldn't pick up what Akiko and the strange, blue woman were saying. The blue ball disappeared and they approached him.

            "Vegeta and Trunks Oujisama, this is my Aunt Mira, my sister Akago and my brother, Gosan." Akiko waited to see if Vegeta reacted to her bother's orange gi, but fortunately he seemed oblivious. "Now we have.." she counted off on her fingers, "nine Saiyans."

*

            The air-car blasted around mountain-tops at break-neck speed. The tank light, which had been blinking for miles, began to beep urgently. 

            "Shhhhit," Bra cursed and undid her seat-belt. She popped the encapsulate button and leapt out of the ship as it imploded. She grabbed the capsule and blasted off for home. 

*

            Pan and Marron stood with their families in front of the gravity chamber. A good crowd had gathered: fighters both familiar and strange. A tall, tan boy with a black mohawk touched down and began conversing with Videl. Young and old were preparing for the inevitable. All were waiting to be briefed on the latest terror. Bra saw the gathering and dropped down. She ran to her mother, who hugged her hard. The crowd hushed as Akiko hovered and cleared her throat.

            "Thank you all for coming. As you already know, a new threat is coming to Earth. You will need to be trained to fight this foe. They are the Rasha; a parasitic alien race, bent on taking this planet as their new home. If they aren't stopped, they will kill millions and enslave the rest. They will suck this world dry and leave it for another one when they're through. I know this because my mother is a Rasha."

            There was some murmuring which was quickly stifled by glares from Vegeta and Trunks who flanked her. "All Rasha look like my sister Akago and I; without the tail. All Rasha are capable of harnessing electrical energy and shocking their opponents to death. We will need to train you all to anticipate the various attacks and to assist those who are stunned by a first strike. It is not impossible to defeat a Rasha, but were are only a handfull. They are approximately 5 to 10 thousand. All Rasha are susceptible to magic attacks. My Aunt Mira is a sorceress. We would like volunteers to help her locate other magic users. The rest of you will stay here with me and train."  
            Pan raised her hand and nudged Marron to do the same.

            "Thank you Pan, Marron. Everyone else, I turn you over to our leader. Vegeta?"

            The Prince-turned-General folded his arms and hovered in her place. "All right. Those of you who can handle it, come with me. That would most probably be Akiko, her siblings, the tin girl, Uubu, the Kakarott brats and my son."

            Bra cleared her throat. He looked to her and smirked, "and daughter."

            "Akiko?," Bulma pulled her aside. "Can I borrow your moon goggles?"

            "Sure, I certainly don't need them here. Why?"

            "I think I have an interesting idea.. I have to make myself useful SOMEHOW.." she walked to her lab with the capsule.

            Mira folded her arms into her over-sized sleeves and looked up at the taller girls. "All right. Thank you for volunteering." She pulled her hands back out to them. "Take this." 

            Pan took the amulet the woman offered. "What is it?"

            "With this, the wearer can detect magic as one detects ki."

            "Ah." She put it around her neck and focused. Mira appeared in her mind's eye. She memorized her signature and smiled. "Got it. Let's go."

            Bra watched as Gosan placed his hand over her brother's chest and gave him a little jolt. Trunk's hair stood on end and he gasped in pain. "Woah!" he cried at the tingling that remained after the boy pulled away.

            "Yeah. That was a tickle," Gosan was serious. He turned to the Z Warriors. "A Rasha can deliver anywhere from 20 - 50 thousand amps per shot, a bolt of lightning can do about 20 thousand, tops. This can boil your insides or stop your heart, or both. If it only stuns you, it can render you helpless long enough to get in the killing blow." The nine-year-old boy was eloquent when it came to fighting. "Anyone else wanna feel?" His fingers crackled with energy. Eighteen backed up a step. Akiko noticed this and made her way to the woman. 

            "Teena, are you all right?" 

            "Fine," she was hiding something.

           Akiko shrugged off a sudden feeling of deja vu. "You really ought to get a taste of this. Once you know what it's like, you can defend against it." she held up her hand and Eighteen backed up again. 

            "No, that's ok. I don't think so."

            "She can't…" Her husband came up behind her. Her cheeks flushed and she crossed her arms. "She shouldn't have even volunteered." 

            "Why?"

            "Anything over 1,500 volts'll shut her down." Krillin looked like he excepted her to hit him, but she hung her head. 

            "I'm a Jinzoningen."

            'Oh my god.. EIGHTeena..' It dawned on Akiko. She had destroyed her years ago in her own world. And this android had went on to marry Krillin!? "No, you should definitely not have volunteered. One blow and you're out for the count. Trust me."

            "I have to fight. I have to do something."

            Krillin didn't argue. He was almost sixty years old. He felt the same way.

            Akago's tail flailed as she bounced around, shooting off low-power denki attacks at Gohan, Goten and Trunks. Vegeta watched with complete tail-envy. "It'd be something if we still had a moon..." he grumbled under his breath. Bra scrutinized the look on her father's face, then looked to the be-tailed Saiyan. 

            "Ohmygod! Daddy! You'll never guess what I taught myself to do at school!"

*

            Bulma emerged from the lab as the sun was setting and realized that there was a small throng hanging around her house which most probably had to be fed. She asked Trunks if he was hungry. He smiled at his mother and rubbed his stomach. 

            "Nah, Chi-chi cooked for everyone." He walked away, his brown tail intertwined with Akiko's blue one. Bulma smiled, relieved. It took her a few seconds to do a double take.

            "Trunks!?!" She gawked at the appendage she hadn't seen since he was born. She jumped out of her skin as something strong and fuzzy wrapped around her waist. Vegeta lifted her up off the ground and laughed at her as she screamed and thrashed. 

            Bra smirked at them. "I learned how to grow my tail back at school! I taught Daddy and Trunks this afternoon."

            "So THAT'S what you've been doing with your education?"

            "Oh, Mom…" Bra groaned. Her mother knew very well that school was essential, but to a genius like Bra, mind-numbingly boring.  

            Bulma smiled. "That's great, honey."

            Vegeta was surprised that his wife was pleased.

            "I've been spending all day back-engineering from Akiko's moon goggles. By tomorrow I should have a prototype for a moonlight generator!"

            "We'll be able to transform!?" Bra exclaimed. "That's great! We'll kick some serious alien ass!"

            "Watch your mouth, young lady," Vegeta smirked.

            "Sorry, Daddy." She blushed. "Oh! Wait a second! If we transform, our clothes will be shredded right?"

            "Not if we had Saiyan uniforms." Vegeta frowned.

            Bra and Akiko gaped. Bra put her foot down. "I'm not fighting nothin' if I'm gonna be completely naked!"

            "Relax." Bulma put her hands on her hips. "I still have ton of that fabric I developed for these guys years ago. I'll just whip up some more outfits."

            "There's five Oozarus total, then?"

            "Five, what about Gosan?" 

            "He doesn't have a tail 'cause he's uncontrollable like my Dada and Grandada," Akiko explained.

            Vegeta lifted his eyebrows and Trunks ushered her away.

*

            Far out in space, but approaching fast, a fleet of eleven hundred ships made its way to Earth. The Rasha Emperor sat on his throne and observed the stars flash by.

            "Father, do you really think we'll find a suitable home on this Earth?" his oldest son asked.

            "I should hope so, Rojan. Heads will roll if it is inhospitable."

            "What if it's already populated?"

            "Ha! You're so sentimental, Rojan!" his younger brother sneered at him. "Who cares?"

            "Well, I'm only saying we'll have a harder time adjusting if we have to subdue the inhabitants, Esopus." He turned and stared out the window. "I'm sick of traveling. I just want a home for our people."

            "Well, if the Earthlings are not compliant with our presence, we'll eliminate them and Earth will be ours," the Emperor declared. 

            Esopus glared at his brother's back. "You mean New Rashan, Father."

            "Indeed. You should take a cue from your brother if your going to take my place, Rojan."

            Rojan wasn't listening anymore. He was trying to think what he wanted his home to be like. He wondered what color the sky was on Earth. He couldn't wait to see it.

*

            The city of Paris was only beginning to feel the paranoia that a total lack of communication brings. Marron oohed and aahed at the sights as Pan dragged her through the streets. The stone in the amulet was glowing brighter with every block she ran. Soon, she had a fix on the signal. They ducked into a well-camouflaged burlesque house. The inside was neat and clean; the decorations were ornate and gilt. From the outside, one would have never fathomed it could look so amazing. A magenta-haired, petite, young woman stood on stage dressed as a dominatrix. Her assistant, a six foot six rock of an individual wearing a wife beater which showed his tattoo, and a pair of black fly sunglasses stood motionless at her side. She produced a flock of white doves from her tall top hat and the crowd applauded respectfully. 

            "A magician?" Marron wondered. "I thought we were looking for sorcerers?"

            The doves spiraled to the ceiling and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Pan's amulet hovered over her chest, pointing in the direction of the stage. "She'll do."

            "Mesdames et Messieurs, je m'excuse, mais mon .. last trick will have to wait, something has come up and I must leave you all. Bonsoir."

            "What did she say?" 

            Pan got to her feet as the dominatrix-magician quit the stage. "I dunno, but I think she's bolting." Pan jumped up and ran out the front door with Marron hot on her heels. Outside, the man revved up an old 23 model Capsule motorcycle and charged out of the alley. 

            "Wait! We need your help!!" Marron shouted.

            Pan stopped herself from flying after them. Those two certainly wouldn't stop if they saw that remarkable sight. A very stereo-typical looking Frenchman parked his bike at the curb at the exact moment Pan needed it.

            They zoomed off on the stolen motorcycle after their quarry.

            The man with the sunglasses looked behind him and grimaced.

            "Plus vite, Roland! Plus vite!"

            "D'accord."

            Roland flipped the safety off the encapsulate button and pressed it. He threaded his arm around his companion and leapt up into the air. The bike shrank, but instead of becoming a capsule, transformed into another machine altogether. The 23 had morphed into an air-bike of sorts, on which Roland landed and turned on the jets. It blew Pan and Marron's illegitimate ride out of the water. They took to the air to avoid being hurt, but did not follow them. 

            "Damn! That was crazy!" Marron cried. "How did he do that!?"

            "I dunno. Must be pretty smart," Pan folded her arms and grumbled. 

            "So what do we do now?"

            Pan's stomach mimicked her growl and she lead her friend to a bistro.

*

            They munched on baguettes and watched night fall on the city. As Pan was trying to isolate another magic user, the amulet began to glow and pulse. It lifted off her chest again and pointed to her right. The girls were surprised to see the 23 pull up at the curb. The big guy got off and approached the table. Pan stood slowly to greet him. He stopped and turned to his companion. 

            "Kita, allons-y."

            She humphed and reluctantly got off the bike. Her head barely reached his belt. He crossed his arms and stood behind her. 

            "Qui es tu? Qu'est ce tu veux?"

            "um.. Juh nuh comprawnd pah."

            "Oh," the girl called Kita lifted her chin up and looked down her nose at them. "Who are you and what do you want?"

            Marron cleared her throat to prevent Pan from getting nasty. She sighed and related their mission to the young woman.

            "So, if you could lend your abilities to the cause, we probably have a much better chance at saving the world," Marron smiled.

            Kita seemed dubious. She looked up to the big guy.

            "Elle dit vraiment, je suis sur."

            This didn't seem to make her happy. "Mon ami Roland thinks that I should help you."

            "Great! Mercy buckets, Roland."

            The French people developed large drops of perspiration and hung their heads. "Pas problem."

            Akiko and Vegeta sparred into the night. He was far stronger than she, but she wouldn't give up. When she was fighting she forgot about everything else. The dangers approaching them were just on the outside of her consciousness. Her mother and father were just as far away. Blow after blow, she became more and more numb to reality. After an especially hard trouncing, Vegeta let her take a breather. 

            "What are you doing?" she panted.

            "Letting you live," he smirked. 

            At this she became enraged and powered up. Vegeta was surprised that she could muster any power at this point. He was even more surprised when she kept going until her hair began to flicker green. She cried out and her eyes turned green. Finally, the gold of the Super Saiyan pushed through the blue of the Rasha and she flew at the Prince. 

            He turned his back to her. She skidded to a halt and growled at him. "Face me!"

            "You've had enough for tonight. We'll resume this little game tomorrow." He walked away. 

            She watched him go, steaming mad and unable to understand why the warrior had shrugged her off all of a sudden.

            "Akiko."

            She tuned and saw Trunks. He gave her a compassionate look. Her anger ebbed and she remembered her troubles. Her hair fell as her power-level dropped. "Trunks." 

            He opened his arms. Akiko accepted the hug.

*

            The United States seemed to be in the same state of oblivion that France was in the day before. As Pan, Marron, Kita and Roland entered the Village there was no sign that The City was suffering from a communications breakdown. The amulet lead them to a club, thumping with drum and bass. 

            "Aw, yeah," Marron grinned from ear to ear. 

            "We're not here to have fun, Marron."

            "Gimme the amulet, I wanna find this one!"

            Pan shrugged and gave it to her. The Frenchies gravitated to the bar. "Well, they're at home," she snorted and looked around. The amulet pointed at Kita. "You have to concentrate, Marron. Feel out what signal she's emitting and focus on the new one."

            "Kay!" she shouted over the music. A repetitive tune ended and a new one segued in. The music droned in like waves of water, washing over them. It twinkled occasionally and Marron's eyes glazed over.

            "Marron? You ok?"

            She started to thrust her shoulders to the encroaching beat. When it kicked in, her friend couldn't tear her away. She leapt onto the floor and wove her way into the tangle of big-pants and glow-sticks. 

            "House, house!" the lyrics repeated.

            Pan rolled her eyes and watched the crowd from the bar. After five minutes, she got annoyed enough to venture in to remind Marron of her mission. Marron was dancing in a clearing, twisting her arms and contorting her body to the beat. She and another boy shared the spot-light. Everyone stared in awe of their ability. Flashes of light rippled around him as he moved. The pendant swung around her neck, always pointing in the same direction. 

            "Have you found anything yet?!" Pan yelled, unwittingly in a sudden lull in the music. Marron giggled and pointed to her partner.

            "Pan! This is JJ!"

            JJ grinned wide and waved wildly as he danced like Linus. A little speech balloon appeared above his head. 'Hi! I'm JJ!' This turned into a luminescent dragon which lashed out and curled around Pan. She attempted to fight it off, but it was made up entirely of light. She stared at him and smirked. He grinned back even wider than before.

            "Two down.."

*

            Mira flew up the eastern side of the mountain. At its apex was a cave. She entered this and walked through a spiraling tunnel. As she delved further inside, the hall became lined with lighted torches attached to the wall by very life-like human hands. The level of magical power within was astonishingly strong. She wasn't afraid, but she rather hoped that the bearer of this power was friendly. 

            At last the hall opened into a well illuminated chamber. It was so bright, one could swear that the sun itself was shining in the heart of the mountain. A figure with long, fine, white hair wearing an immaculate, pale-yellow robe did not turn to face her as she made her presence known. 

            "Pardon me for this intrusion, Sir," she began.

            "Yes, you have intruded," the man said clearly but still did not turn.

            She sucked in her breath. "I must have a word with you."

            He faced her finally. Someone with that much power couldn't possibly be as young as he looked. He had no expression on his lips or in his unsettling, white eyes. The pupils seemed all the more black for the lack of color in the iris. Seeing that she wasn't cowed by his presence, he smiled thinly. "All right, you've come all this way. What is it you want?"

            Mira pouted slightly at his indignation. "May I be so bold as to assume that you know what is coming to this world?"

            "You know what happens when you assume," he turned his eyes back on some unknown task while he spoke.

            Mira folded her arms into her sleeves.

            "Don't get your cloak in a bunch, my dear alien girl. Of course I know."

            Mira tripped while standing still. "Then you know that I am seeking your assistance."

            "Yes."

            She was beginning to become frustrated, but hid it the best she could. She wouldn't play his game. She waited. 

            He turned and raised an eyebrow. "I have seen many a threat approach this world. It has been blown to bits many times, in this and other dimensions.."

            Mira was visibly taken aback.

            "Yes, you don't belong here. Nice of you, by the way, to mess with the order of things in the name of righteousness."

            "Excuse me?"

            "There are rules, Ms. Uenijimenshitanisora."

            She winced, 'Kami! I hate it when sorcerers do that!' She paid attention to what he was saying and began concentrating on him.

            "You haven't REALLY broken them, of course. You've gone through the proper channels. Shenlong cannot break the rules, as you have discovered." He sighed as if he were growing tired of her. "What I'm trying to say to you is that I don't get involved. That's not even Kami's job. I've seen the Z Warriors in action and I have faith that they will some how manage to defeat this foe as well."

           "At the cost of how many lives, Hinode?" Mira barked confidently. The sorcerer glared at her in shock. She had him. With his name, she had power. Not much, but enough to stop him from condescending to her. "If you lend a hand, we can prevent innocent people from dying. It's up to you." She turned and wound her way back out of the cave. The only impedance he gave her was a darkened hall. She smirked slightly as she stepped back into the real sunlight.  

*

            They left New York just as paranoia crested over into chaos. The five of them escaped The City in a Capsule car and headed toward the next most powerful force. There were only three days remaining till the Rasha would be on the Earth's doorstep. They flew for hours. Kita and Roland conversed in French. JJ and Marron conversed in Raver-ese and the sixteen-year-old Pan piloted and felt out the compass-like amulet's directive. Soon they found themselves over hostile territory. 

            "Where are we?" JJ asked.

            "I think we're in a no-fly zone. Good thing they scrambled everything. We should have been shot down by now." Pan took the car down in the middle of a war zone.

            The afternoon sun shone down on the small village. People here were completely un-affected by the Rasha interference. Stone grist-mills and gravity aqueducts were about the most advanced technology for miles around. The people eyed the strangers warily as they walked down the dirt road. Some children ran across their path, chased by an older woman shouting curses at them for stealing. Pan came to a stop at an alley of sorts. Her comrades stayed out in the street as she ventured in. The alley was empty except for a ramshackle collection of bamboo and tin. She stepped on something that shrieked out. A rather sizable rat lay squeaking under her toes. Pan cried out in alarm. 

            "Oh, man. It's not a rat, is it?!" she moaned as the amulet peaked. A soft gasp caught her attention and she examined the pile of rubbish. Two small eyes looked out at her from within. "Hello? Don't be afraid. Are you a magic user? I've come to ask for your help." There was no answer. The eyes widened and blinked. "Please? My name is Pan. I'm not going to hurt you." She took in the shack. "Do you live here?"

            "Yes," a tiny voice finally replied.

            "Can you come out?"

            A five- or six-year old girl in a red, child's over-dress emerged. Her face was a bit dingy, but she looked healthy. She looked up at Pan then back down at the rat. She picked the twitching animal up and stroked it. "You hurt Zumi," she whispered. Her hands glowed and the rat stopped its manic spasms. She put it down and it skittered away.

            "Did you just heal that...?" Pan stopped herself from saying 'filthy plague-spreader'. The little girl nodded. Pan smiled at her. 

            JJ came up from behind. "Would you like to help us save the whole world?"

            "The whole world?" She was amazed.

            Pan nodded. "What's your name?"

            "I'm called Niji."

            "Niji, would you like to come with us?"

            She nodded emphatically and JJ picked her up. This seemed to delight the tiny girl. She clutched his shirt and went along for the ride.

*

            Mira was becoming a bit discouraged with her search. Her next target was on the other side of the world. She came upon another mountain, much like the first one. Within a cave at the summit was a spiraling hallway lit by hands bearing torches. Their light was faerie fire; a bluish white in color. The coolness increased as she descended into the heart of the mountain. At the end of the hall was a dimly-lit antechamber. A man with ragged brown and red hair worked at an unknown task. 

            "Excuse the intrusion, Sir," she began. He ignored her. "I know you know why I am here, and you probably know my name and origin as well. I would like to formally ask for your assistance in defeating the foe which will arrive in a few days."

            Still no reaction from the sorcerer. His dark violet gown swished in the silence as he crossed the stone floor from this book to that jar. His face was as young as the last wizard's. His eyes were as black as pitch, but there was a softness to them and his facial expression which Mira could not take her eyes from. She pursed her lips and realized that he was not going to respond. 

            "It is a pity that your brother is a far better conversationalist. I am sorry for wasting your time, and mine. Good day, Nichibotsu." He made eye contact, and his eyes said he would not come with her, whether she had his name or not. She turned when he looked back to his work. 

            Mira left the cave heavy hearted and hoped that the Z Girls were having better luck.

*

            They met back at Capsule with a day to spare. All the Z Warriors were well versed in Rasha combat techniques. Marron and Pan played catch up with Goten, Videl and Gohan, and soon had down what they needed to know. Bulma unveiled the Moonlight Generators: three, 20 kilo devices which they tested on Trunks to make sure that he would be controllable in his transformed state. The last thing they needed was a 150 meter-tall, out-of control Were-Monkey in the middle of battle. 

            "Krillin, Yamcha and Satan will man the MLG's," Vegeta briefed them. "If one should go out, the next one down the line will be turned on until there are no more."

            "That means turn it on and RUN," Akiko clarified. "Once the Rasha figure it out, they'll be targeted."

            The men nodded vigorously.

            "These are our magic users," Akiko gestured to the group of four to the sidelines. "Including myself, there are five of us."

            "Seven."

            She looked back to them and saw two strangers standing behind Mira. The sorceress was shocked to see them, but gave Akiko the thumbs up.

            "Ok, seven."

            "Thank you," Mira bowed to them.

            "My brother had a good point. We don't get out enough," Hinode smirked. Nichibotsu stared at Mira with that same odd, vacant, burrowing look. She blushed a darker shade of blue and held her chin up high. 

            "They are all at different levels of their craft and specialize in different areas, just as fighters do. Their main job is to keep us out of trouble. They can prevent the Rasha from attacking to their fullest ability, which might just save a couple lives."

            Vegeta rolled his eyes and reminded himself that they couldn't suppress ALL of the Rasha. He'd get his chance to tango with a few before the battle was over. 

            "Three of us have some level of healing ability. I can mend bones if need be and Niji down there can bring a couple people back from the brink per day.

            "You are NOT to fight. That means no offensive spells," Akiko ordered them. "If you attack, you will not be able to defend against all of them. We need you around. Don't go commando; leave that to us." She stepped back and let the General finish up.

            "They arrive tomorrow. Woman, you said about three?" Bulma nodded. "Three PM. We won't have a fix on where they will land until they enter the atmosphere. Hopefully we can prevent any other armies from trying to take them on."

            Trunks was surprised to hear him say that. He was suddenly very proud of his father. The General turned and walked away, signaling the end of the briefing.

            "Let's all get some rest. We're gonna need it," Akiko clapped her hands together and dismissed everyone. All the Z Warriors had rooms at Capsule which they retired to. Akiko went to learn who the new arrivals were.

            "They are the most powerful sorcerers on this planet that I could find," Mira explained. "They will be invaluable in our hour of need."

            Akiko nodded. She blinked back sleep. Her aunt fussed over her state.

            "You have not slept in days, have you?"

            "I've tried," she admitted. "It's kind of hard. Mira, I can't help but think how coincidental it is that I'm here and Rasha are coming."

            "I know. I have had similar musings. It is not your fault that they have chosen Earth. They have been traveling for many years, searching for a suitable home-world."

            Akiko nodded again.

            "Go. Go to your man and get some sleep," Mira smiled.

            She blushed but did what she was told.

**End Chapter Seven**

**Glossary:**

Nagitaosu - zap or destroy

Denki - electric / electricity

Dibad - The name of the dimension Akiko comes from (DBAD Dragon Ball Alternate Dimension)

Etibi - The name of the dimension in which DB, DBZ and DBGT take place in with a slight Aoi-Kami twist, from ATB - Akira Toriyama B)

Hinode - Sunrise

Nichibotsu - Sunset

Niji - Rainbow

**French:**

"Mesdames et Messieurs, je m'excuse, mais mon .. last trick will have to wait, something has come up and I must leave you all. Bonsoir."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, excuse me but my.... Goodnight."

"Plus vite, Roland! Plus vite!"

"Hurry, Roland! Hurry!"            

"D'accord."

"Ok."

"Kita, allons-y."

"Kita, lets go."

"um.. Juh nuh comprawnd pah."

"um.. I don't understand" (Pan's attempt at French)

"Elle dit vraiment, je suis sur."

"She's telling the truth, I'm sure."

"Pas problem."

"No problem."


	9. Eight

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Chapter Eight**

**Note: **

means that the speaker is being heard telepathically. 

            The Z Warriors flew across the country-side. Bulma followed behind them in a large air-transport vehicle. Roland and Kita rode the converted 23 bike. Vegeta lead them to the place his wife had said the ships would be in just a few minutes. He couldn't wait to fight. He raced to the site. Goten and Trunks flanked him. Akiko, Pan, Marron, Bra, Akago, Gosan, Uubu and Eighteen followed them. Krillin, Mira, Hinode, Nichibotsu, JJ, Niji, Mr. Satan, Yamcha, Gohan and Videl brought up the rear. The hills rolled under them, the area was green, but barren of trees for miles. The sky was blue and a few greyish clouds hung on the horizon. 

            Soon, Vegeta slowed. The clouds were moving in a most uncharacteristic way. Everyone stopped and gaped at the sight. 1,100 sleek, greyish-blue saucer-shaped ships darted into formation. The Z Warriors lined up and waited for their orders. Doors slid open and about fifty blue-haired soldiers poured out of each ship. 

            "Mon Dieu.." Roland stared at the unbelievable sight through his sunglasses. 

            The Emperor came forward as the soldiers fell into ranks. As he came closer, Mira thought frantically to her nieces and nephew.

            "It's Chonekken!!"

            "WHAT!?"

            Akiko glared at the man who most probably was the cause of the strain which killed her mother after her birth. She wanted to lunge at him now, but waited for Vegeta's order. 

            "This is quite amusing," the Rasha leader smirked. "I didn't expect such a warm welcome. Perhaps Earthlings are not quite as backwards as we assumed."

            "You know what happens when you assume, Chonekken!" Akiko couldn't stop herself.

            "What?" he turned his attention to the young woman and stared at her in disbelief. "An impurity!? How do you know my name!?"

            "That's privileged information!" she quoted Pan and the younger girl smiled wryly. "Point is, you're going down."

            "Oh really?"

            "Point is," Vegeta cleared his throat. "I've lost the battle for this world once or twice to these people. I'm on the winning side now and you will not defeat us."

            "Oh!" Chonekken laughed. "You're threatening me, that is so charming! What do you think a handful of Earthlings and half-breeds are going to do against us? We are legion," he indicated to his troops. "If you surrender now, I can assure you that less of you will perish."

            "I'm a Saiyan. Surrender is never an option."

            "Very well." Chonekken raised his arm and prepared to move his army forward. A rumbling in the distance stopped him.

            Goten pointed west to the approaching jets. 

            "Oh no! What are they doing!?" Akiko moaned at the oncoming Earthling military. Chonekken grinned and threw his hand down, ordering his army to attack. Most of his army charged the military. The rest met Vegeta's army head on and the War of The Rasha began.

             Hinode and Nichibotsu raised their arms and forced more than fifty percent of those Rasha in the sky to the ground. They were baffled momentarily, but it didn't stop them from firing off bolts at the fighter jets. The sky was soon filled with puffs of smoke as F-15s and saucers were attacked. Chonekken flew at Akiko, but Vegeta cut him off. They tangled in the sky. 

            JJ and Niji hung back and waited for their time. Once people needed healing, Niji would be there. JJ kept an eye on the sky, and soon saw an opportunity for his specialty. He flew in close to Krillin and Marron as they were begin buffeted by twenty or so Rasha.

            "Here comes!" he shouted. The Zs nodded and JJ pointed. His dragon spiraled out from his fingertips and encircled the enemy. They were so distracted by its flaming mane and accompanying illusory fireworks, complete with sound, that the father and daughter were able to subdue the lot of them. 

            Videl took on three at once and got a touch of a denki attack. She cried out in pain, but kept fighting. Gohan heard her and immediately went super-Saiyan. He rushed in and creamed the three Rasha. 

            Everyone had at least three Rasha to handle. The Saiyans were having a field day. One by one, their fights became more and more intense. The Rasha half-breeds held their own, but the other's had all they could do to keep from being electrocuted. 

            Things were looking rough. Vegeta and Chonekken were consumed with their fight, but a cry from Bra caught the Prince's attention. He turned in time to see the end of what must have been a thick bolt of lightning from a female Rasha soldier hit his little girl.

            "Yamcha! NOW!!" he cried out to him to turn on the first moonlight generator. The beam shot up through a group of bewildered Rasha and soon some of their opponents began to grow. Trunks turned his head to the sky and growled as the light touched his eyes. Akago sneered at her opponents and backed away. Bra recovered from her hit as she transformed. Akiko clenched her fists and roared as blue fur grew over her skin. Vegeta was by far the largest of the were-monkeys and the first to begin fighting again. Soon the Rasha were being decimated. The other Z Warriors backed off and watched the spectacle, cheering and encouraging the behemoths on. 

            "This is crazy!" Esopus directed a battalion back.

            "There's got to be a way to stop them!" Rojan hung back and looked around. He was the first to discover the MLGs. "There!" He dove down and held his hand out. It didn't take much to blow the device to bits. The Saiyans began to shrink, but suddenly, another MLG came on and they continued their onslaught. Chonekken became enraged. No species was going to out do his! Especially not a bunch of monkeys! He suddenly noticed that the only people who had transformed had tails. He charged up and aimed for the largest ape. Vegeta-monkey cried out as Chonekken's blast severed his tail. The Prince shrank down. Trunks was the second felled. Bra growled and swatted the Emperor into the ground.

            As was expected, it didn't take long for the Rasha to eliminate the other two generators. Mr. Satan high-tailed it away as the last one exploded. However short lived it had been, the plan had worked. A little more than half of the Rasha army remained. 

            Akiko went super-Saiyan and charged at a large group Pan was tackling. The two sisters got each other's backs. Krillin recovered from a hit and looked for his wife and daughter. They were both up to their necks in Rasha. He charged in and took on the soldiers. One female soldier grew tired of his pestering and leveled her hand at him. Marron shouted as the bolt struck her father. Krillin fell out of the sky. Eighteen snarled and flew at the Rasha. She turned and zapped the Jinzonigen. Teena's eyes shut and she fell like a stone. 

            "Mother! Father!!" Marron dove down after them. Krillin was crumpled up and unmoving. Eighteen's body was sunken a bit into the ground from the force of impact. Marron wasted a second debating who to check on first. Her father had died in the air. Her mother, she couldn't tell. She looked around feverishly for someone to help. Niji was already helping Trunks; Mira was healing Akago. Gosan shot off bolts at a group of Rasha just above Marron's head. She cried out for mercy. His oldest sister took over for him. 

            "Please, I need 100 watts at 650 volts, can you do it?" the young woman had pried Eighteen's chest open, exposing the motherboard. Gosan was a bit confused, but nodded. He put his finger on the spot she pointed to and powered up to the requested amount. Teena's eyes fluttered and she sat bolt upright. Gosan excused himself to continue fighting. 

            "Mother?" 

            Eighteen's eyes weren't focusing. Her head twitched rhythmically.

            "Mother, can you hear me? Do you know where you are.. who you are?!" Marron became a little worried that the android might have reverted to her old OS.

            "I am Number Eighteen," she mumbled.

            "Who am I!?" she prompted her.

            The artificial human turned her head to her and her eyes softened at last. "Marron.." She stood up and closed her chest panel. "He's dead," Teena monotoned and sat down next to Krillin's body. The fight carried on over her head. Marron became enraged and rejoined the battle. 

            Super Saiyan Akiko blocked a volley of attacks and charged up. She unleashed wave after wave of huge Inazuma-has. Rasha menaced her from all sides. It was hard to tell, even with her extra-sensory ability, where the next attack would come from. A strange shock-wave caught her in the back and she spun to see the deliverer. Akiko's jaw dropped and she took the second wave without defense. This knocked her out of super-Saiyan. The older, female soldier launched a barrage of attacks which Akiko blocked the best she could. She couldn't bring herself to attack. 'Come on, Kiko, she only LOOKS like your mom…' 

            "Why aren't you attacking, half-breed!?" the woman snarled.

            Akiko ignored her and tried to get away. She received several hits and began to succumb to her. After a thorough beating, the woman held her up by her hair and leveled her hand at her. Akiko could still not bring herself to attack. 

            "Prepare to meet your maker, half-breed!"

            "Oh no.. not again!" she moaned. 

            "What do you mean, not again?" The Rasha studied her face and furrowed her brows. "Who are you?..."

            "Kiko!!" Super Saiyan Gosan hurtled towards the women. 

            "Gosan, no!"

            Lona released Akiko. Gosan cupped his hands. "Kameha... meha!" The woman fell from the sky. Akiko was bewildered. Gosan took her by the arm. "You ok, Kiko?" She stared, mortified at the body below her, but nodded. She couldn't bear to tell him what he had just done. They took off to find new opponents.

            Gohan blinked as the other-worldly Saiyans departed. 'How did that boy know how to..?' His thoughts were interrupted by a fresh battle. 

            Pan and Marron were now fighting back to back. They were getting pushed closer together. Suddenly a dark brown streak whizzed by, dragging a few of the more powerful enemies with it. "All right, Uubu!!" Marron cheered and continued to fight. 

            Some of the more powerful Rasha had found excellent competition in Goten and Trunks. The young men saw that they were fighting closer and closer. They made eye contact and smiled mischievously. Goten put his hands to his face. Trunks mimicked him. 

            "Taiyoken!" 

            They both darted away.

            Pan and Marron's group became thicker as more Rasha joined in.

            "Haven't they ever heard of one-at-a-time!?!" Pan gasped.

            "Guess not.." Marron was going to make a silly comment when she was struck with a side splash. She collapsed and fell to Earth. Pan tried to help, but the electrical attack did its job and side-stepped from Marron to her. She lost consciousness and fell beside her friend. One Rasha soldier with high ranking stripes on his uniform followed them to the ground. He sneered and put his foot on Marron's back. He began charging up.

            "Esopus! No! They're already out, what's the point!?"

            "The POINT!?! Rojan, have you been paying attention!? There's only a handful of us left!"

            "That doesn't make this right!"

            While the brothers were arguing, someone was sneaking around. 

            "You know, you really are pathetic."

            "At least I have honor."

            Esopus was about to turn his attack in Rojan's direction when he lost his footing. The body he had been standing on disappeared in a light puff of smoke and a flurry of white doves.

            "What the!?" he searched out with his mind for the culprit. Kita gasped and flew away. "Come back here!!"

            Roland looked up in time to see her fleeing the scene.

            "KITA!! Que'st ce que tu fait!?"

            The Rasha Prince released a thick bolt which wrapped around the magician. She cried out briefly before she exploded. 

            "NON!!!!!!!"

            Roland charged his bike at the blue-haired Prince, Esopus's older brother brought him down with a fairly gentle attack. Roland crashed to the ground, alive, but badly hurt. Niji, the tiny healer saw this and when the Rasha had departed, she sneaked in and began to heal him. She was shocked to see wires protruding from the man's right forearm. The skin healed and grew over top of the mess and Roland came to.       

            "Kita... S'il vous plait, petit fille.. elle assistez.."

            "I'm sorry, I don't know what you're saying.." the little girl pouted. She got the drift, but knew it would do no good to say anything.

            Goten and Trunks stood on a small hill some distance from the fighting. They performed a dance they hadn't done in a while. Leaning in towards each other they touched finger-tips and shouted, "Fusion-ha!!"

            Gohan and Videl found that those who had not already perished were the strongest Rasha. Gohan, even in Super-Saiyan mode, had a hard time keeping the bolts away from himself and his wife. Hinode drew some of the fire away from them by re-directing the electrical energy into the atmosphere. Nichibotsu saw what he was doing and flew in front of his brother.

            Hinode stopped casting spells and gave him a puzzled look. "What's the matter, Brother?"

            He pointed to the sky. Clouds were gathering.

            "So?" Hinode didn't see what he was getting at and kept diverting the attacks. 

            Nichibotsu grabbed his hand and startled him by speaking. "A storm, Brother," he advised. Suddenly Hinode understood.

            "Oh, no..."

            Akiko, Gosan and Akago met a dozen troops with similar fire, but like the others, they weren't making as much progress with these cream-of-the-crop soldiers. A large ki attack dispelled a bunch of them at once. Gosan turned to see its origin. "Who's that!?" he pointed to the newcomer. Akiko raised her eyebrows. 

            "Dunno, but I hope he's on our side."

            The stranger joined their fight. "Hey, Sweet," he purred in a voice that was half her uncle's and half her lover's. 

            Akiko stared at him. "Who are you!?"

            "Gotenks," he smiled and blew away another Rasha.

            Uubu darted in and out of fights with various groups. There were still about a hundred and fifty Rasha left. Thousands lay dead across the landscape. Vegeta pushed Chonekken further and further. His golden hair and green eyes weren't enough to intimidate the Emperor. He was hell bent on taking this world, and the more of his people that went down, the more he wanted it. 

            Ten soldiers piled on top of Gohan and began charging up. He struggled to push them off. Just seconds before they were ready to give him a contact strike which would surely end his life, he heard a sharp, stifled cry. His wife was hit. She fell out of the air. Gohan's eyes went wide and he powered up to level two. He blew off the cluster of Rasha with a burst of power and dove down to her. Videl lay, unmoving on the ground. He picked her up and screamed for a healer. 

            Things were looking up. With Gotenks and Uubu kicking ass and the Rasha half-breeds giving it right back to the full-breeds, the battle's end seemed in sight.

            Mira looked up from Videl to the sky as she heard the first rumblings. She took her hands off the woman. "She will live. I must go!"

            She flew to her family. Hanging back, away from the action she called out to them. "Akiko! A storm is coming!!"

            Akiko's eyes bugged out. "Oh.. NO!!" She noticed that Rasha were already dropping off to plunge into the thunderheads. She geared up and tried to take out as many as she could before it got impossible to handle. Akago flew around and warned everyone of the danger.

            "Mr. Oujisama! Don't let Chonekken get to the storm!!" 

            Vegeta heard her and did his best to push the Emperor away from the approaching clouds. Rasha began to emerge from them, fully charged. They sent bolts of 30 to 40 thousand amps at the Z Warriors. A smaller one of these bolts hit Gotenks. He remained in the air, but the hit separated him. Seamlessly, the young men continued fighting. The Rashaman who threw the denki snarled and charged up. He found an opening and let all he had fly. 

            "Trunks! Watch your back!" Goten called out too late. 

            Trunks felt his hair lift as if he were going super-Saiyan. In the span of less than a fourth of a second he panicked as he saw the positive charge his body naturally held reach out a streamer towards the sneering Rasha. It connected with the soldier's step leader, producing a bolt less than an inch thick, but charged at about 100 thousand amps and one million volts. Esopus, being negatively charged naturally, sent all of the electricity to the half-Saiyan.

            Vegeta swung around as he felt his son's heart stop. He powered up to level three and finished toying with the Emperor. Chonekken exploded and Vegeta charged through the still falling debris as he made for Esopus.

            "TRUNKS!!!!" Akiko dove down after him as he crashed to the ground. She put her hands to his chest and they glowed. "Come on, come on, don't go..." she hissed as she poured all of her healing power into him. Soon she was tapped out. He was alive, but the magic which wove his internal organs together wouldn't last. He needed more. Much more. She lay over him; her heart touching his, and wrapped her arms around him.

            Akago flew down to her brother and motioned to the clouds. He nodded and they burst up towards them. 

            "Children, no!" Mira gasped. She could only watch as they disappeared into the storm. 

            As they flew up, they expelled all their negative energy. The bolts hit a few Rasha on the way. The siblings began to siphon the electrical energy inside. 

            Eighteen looked up at the sky warily. Goten and Gohan furrowed their blond brows. Vegeta punched Esopus's head into his chest and blew him to smithereens. The pressure changed and he looked up to the thunderheads. Lightning curled around the clouds. The remaining hundred Rasha turned from their battles and stared, slack jawed. Suddenly, the cloud exploded and the young Son siblings were visible, glowing with power, both super-Saiyans, both charged as no Rasha had ever been charged before. They leveled their hands at the group and sent unavoidable attacks on definite paths to their enemies. Both Sons sent fifty, 170 amp bolts at the Rashamen. Within the passing of two seconds, The Rasha were no more and it began to rain.

*

            Bulma couldn't take it anymore. She gunned the transport toward the battleground. 

            Rain drops matted Akiko's hair down. She didn't stir. Vegeta grabbed her arm and dragged her off his son. 

            "No!" she managed to breathe. "I'm all that's keeping him alive.."

            "Fine, hang on." Vegeta picked him up. Akiko hung on as best she could. They weren't in the air for half a minute when she lost her grip and fell to Earth. Gohan looked up after loading his unconscious wife into the transport and flew to her. He caught her and brought her back to the makeshift ambulance. 

            The young woman looked up at her savior. "Dada.." she murmured and passed out. Gohan furrowed his brows and scrutinized her face. 

**End Chapter Eight**

**French:**

"Mon Dieu.."

"My God.."

Que'st ce que tu fait!?"

"What are you doing!?"

"Kita... S'il vous plait, petit fille.. elle assistez.."

"Kita... Please, little girl.. help her.."


	10. Nine

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Chapter Nine**

            The hospital was in chaos. Doctors and nurses ran this way and that tending to Earthling soldiers and Z Warriors. Bulma heard the commotion in the ER and ran to it. Her husband barked at the surgeons to work faster, but they were astounded. 

            "What the hell is keeping this guy breathing!?" A doctor played with monitors, not believing their readings.

            "Magic, you imbecile, now save him!!!"

            "TRUNKS!!" Bulma cried when she saw his body on the gurney. His mouth hung open and his eyes were shut. There was blood in his hair. Vegeta had a new mission. He grabbed her by the shoulders and lead her out of the room. "No, no.. no... this can't be.." she protested. He stopped in the hall and wrapped his arms around her.

            "He's not going to die is he, Vegeta?" She shivered.

            "No, Bulma. He's going to be all right." He closed his eyes and pressed her head to his shoulder. "He has to be."

            Marron sat in the waiting room and stared at the floor. Her arm hurt a lot, but she knew there were many more soldiers needing help who didn't have the tough constitution she had. Many of the military personnel who had survived came to this hospital as well. She sucked it up and ignored the broken bone. Her mother had gone to take care of her father's body. Marron was grateful. She was actually glad to be in shock. It meant that she didn't have to think clearly. She didn't have to realize he was gone forever. 

            "Marron, you ok?" a soft voice asked. 

            She looked up and saw Goten staring down at her. She smiled and opened her mouth to say yes, but it wouldn't come.

            "Marron?" He squatted down in front of her and held her shoulders.

            Her tears poured down her face at last and she threw her good arm around the young man. "NO!!! I'm not!!" she wailed. "Oh my God, my father's dead, Goten. He's dead!"

            "I know how you feel," he whispered and hugged her. He noticed her arm and convinced her to come with him to find someone to look at it.

            Eighteen was a bit dazed when she came up from the morgue. She strolled down the hallway, staring straight ahead. She stopped when she noticed the large Frenchman sitting in a chair to her left. His arm twitched and he held it down to hide its spasms.

            "C'est Roland, N'est-ce pas?" she approached him. "je ne pense pas... that we have been properly introduced."

            He straightened and observed the small, blonde woman though his blackflies. 

            "Vous parlez mon langue?"

            "Oui, je parle tout les langues. Et je sais que.. you are in pain. I have suffered similarly. Was she your lover?" 

            Roland looked down and was silent. 

            "I apologize. I have lost someone who meant a lot to me as well." She turned, but didn't walk away. "My husband is dead, and there will be no getting him back this time. There was nothing I could do to save him. I turned around and he was gone. I saw what your woman did to get herself killed. She saved Pan and my daughter's lives. She knew what would come of her actions, just as my Krillin knew that this was his last battle. They died heroes. They will not be forgotten..." the Jinzoningen's voice trailed off as she choked back a sob.

            Roland didn't look up, but he listened. His right arm twitched rapidly again.

            "Do you need medical attention?" she raised an eyebrow. Her inhuman sense of hearing picked up the tell-tale, mechanical clicking the prosthetic emitted.

            "Non."

            "D'accord." She began to walk away. "A beintot, Roland."

            "Madame Dix-huit?" he looked to her finally. "Merci."

            "Je vous en prie."

            She looked left and right as she walked, checking each room for Marron. An aqua-haired girl bumped into her.

            "Oh! Sorry Teena," Bra mumbled.

            "It's all right. How's your brother?"

            She shook her head.

            "I'm sorry. Have you seen Marron?"

            "Yeah, she's with Goten and Mira getting healed up. I just came from there." She pointed the way. "Down the hall."

            "Thanks." Teena looked at the dazed girl and furrowed her brows. "You don't speak French, do you?"

            "Oui, un petit peu. Pourquoi?"

            "Roland?"

            He ignored her. 

            "Est-ce que cela vous fait mal?"

            "Comment?.."

            "Eighteen said your arm.."

            His right arm twitched again.

            "C'est rien. Vous ne pouvez pas faire rien."

            "'Oh ho ho, look who knows so much!'" she quoted one of her favorite movies. He raised an eyebrow over his sunglasses. "Heh, never mind." She pulled out a multi-purpose tool and flipped it open like a butterfly knife.

            "Comment?!.."

            "You think you could keep your little secret from an android?" Bra smiled and offered her skills to the Frenchman. 

            "Mais, ton frere.."

            "Ferme ta bouche, je travaille!" she barked. "I'm sorry, it's just when I work it takes my mind off whatever's bothering me." She smiled weakly and he let her examine him.

            Roland touched a spot on his forearm and the flesh slid back revealing wires and circuit boards.

            "Wow. Where'd you get this?"

            "Je le fait."

            "No way! Really?"

            He nodded. She smiled shyly. He helped her navigate and fix his homespun bionics.

*

            Akiko woke in the middle of the night on a large window sill in a dimly-lit hospital room. She groaned and looked around. Her Aunt and siblings lay sleeping where they could find space. No one had left her. She smiled briefly before remembering that she had just been in a war. As quietly as she could, Akiko slid off the window seat and tip-toed out of the room. She roamed the halls, searching for the intensive care unit. 

            Trunks was hooked to monitors which mislead the doctors with their fairly positive readings. At this hour, things were getting worse for the half-Saiyan. The spell was wearing off, and although Akiko had given him two thirds of her own ki, he was failing. 

            Vegeta leaned against the wall, his eyes half-open, watching his son miraculously breathe. He could feel his heart struggle and forced himself to stay awake. The door slowly swung open and he stood perfectly still, letting the intruder think he wasn't there.

            Akiko crept around to Trunks's gurney and stared at him for a moment before deciding what to do. She lay down next to him, put her left hand over his heart and began to pour healing spells and ki energy into the man she loved. "Vegeta?" 

            He was surprised to find that she knew he was there.

            "If I pass out, don't wake me."

            He grunted his assent and she fed her life into Trunks's.

*

            Sunlight in her eye forced Akago awake. She looked to her brother, aunt and sister, but her sister was gone.

            "Mira! Where's Kiko!?"

            Mira burst into the ICU, waking Bulma and Bra, and lifted her niece off of Trunks. 

            "No!" Vegeta shouted.

            "I must! She'll die otherwise!"

            "She told me not to wake her!"

            "I don't care!" 

            Gosan and Akago stared at their aunt. The veins in her head protruded as she yelled at the Prince. They had never seen her so angry before.

            "What's all the yellin' and screamin' about?" a voice from the door distracted them. "You guys all need a serious chill pill."

            Bulma and Bra stopped crying, stared at the new arrival and smiled from ear to ear. 

            "YAJEROBI!!!"

            The fat, old man smiled and held up a small pouch. "Yeah, I know, long time no see, yaddada yaddada..." He tossed the bag to Bulma. "Here, Korin thought you might need these."

            Vegeta intercepted the bag. He ripped a bean out and crushed it in his hand. Opening his son's mouth, he dropped in the powder and a swig of water from a nearby glass and forced him to swallow. Everyone waited in silence. Trunks's eyes popped open and he looked around, bewildered at the crowd that had gathered in his room. 

            "What the hell happened?" He rubbed his head.

            "Trunks! Oh my God, you're all right!!" Bulma hugged him. "You had me so worried don't you ever go and almost die on me like that again, do you understand!?"

            "Sure, Mom." He smiled at her. He looked around and saw Akiko lying passed out; her head in Mira's lap. "Kiko?" he jumped down and ran to her. 

            "I guess she could use a Senzu too, huh?" Yajerobi offered.

            "No. It will do no good." Mira shook her head. "The Senzu heal wounds, but they cannot replace the energy she has given freely. All she needs rest."

            "And she'll be ok?" Trunks asked.

            Mira nodded.

            He scooped her up and turned to his family. A glance was all they needed to communicate. They were going home.

*

            Pale, fluorescent lights confused Rojan as he regained consciousness. He felt his wounds close up and become pleasingly warm. Craning his neck, he saw the blue-skinned, half-breed remove her hands from his midsection. 

            "What are you doing?" he growled.

            "Healing you." Mira folded her arms back into her gown. 

            "Why?"

            "Because you were injured." 

            "I thought," he wondered, "we lost..."

            "You did. You are the only one left."

            He scowled and observed her suspiciously. "Who are you?"

            "My name is Mira. What's yours?" Although her tone was friendly she didn't smile.

            "Rojan Chonekken Hoshi, next in line to the throne of Rashan." He could tell she was a bit shocked by this. "Who was your sire, impurity?"

            She winced at this word, but leveled her gaze on him and told the truth. "In another dimension, my father was Ramesh Chogung."

            Rojan's eyes widened and he gritted his teeth. "How dare you? He was my grandfather!"

            Mira pursed her lips. It was just as she thought. "I was a slave to your people for more than twenty years until my sister liberated me. She brought me back to Earth where I live with her and her family." 

            He was angry and skeptical, but he listened to her.

            "Her children are the other 'half-breeds' you fought today." She watched his reaction carefully as she revealed this. "The son and daughters of Atsuko Aoi, formerly known as Lona Chogung... my sister." His reaction cinched it. Lona was his mother.

            Rojan wanted to scream, but she had to be telling the truth. This woman was a sorceress. If she wanted to lie to him, she could easily coerce his mind into believing her unquestioningly. His anger at her words was the proof. He sighed and looked to the ceiling.

            "As a Rasha, I know you'll be needing this," she removed a long, ceremonial knife from the folds of her gown. Rojan sat up and took this from her. He nodded, got up and followed her down the hall.

*

            Pan nodded off in the chair next to her mother's bed. Time passed so slowly. She wished she could just fall asleep and when she woke her mother would be fine. Everything would have been an elaborate nightmare and the idea of a Blue-Haired Saiyan would be an amusing dream she could tell to her grandchildren. As her eyes closed at last, part of her wish came true. The other part walked in just as she fell asleep. Gohan tip-toed past her and popped the small seed into his wife's mouth. Videl's eyes fluttered open and she mouthed her husband's name. He held his finger to his lips and pointed to Pan. Videl smiled.

            "Pan? Pan wake up. I've got a surprise for you."

            She sighed and lifted her head off her arms. "What?" Videl smiled and waved to her daughter. "MOM!!!" She ran to her and hugged her, finally crying with relief. She looked to her father, who was facing the door with a displeased look. 

            "You!!" Pan growled as she faced Rojan. "You did this!!"

            "My brother did," he met her stare and admitted. He took a step forward.

            "Get out of here, you monster!!!" Pan cried, equating the last of the Rasha with the entire army.

            He held out the knife. Mira appeared behind him, her face somber. Gohan held back his daughter and growled. Videl threw back the covers and was ready to spring on the alien.

            Rojan then reached in back of him, grasped his long, regal braid of blue hair and severed it with the knife. He turned the hilt around to face the Sons and presented it and the braid to them. Videl and Gohan sighed.

            "He is offering you his pride and his life. You may have them both," Mira explained. 

            Pan struggled under her father's grip. She wanted to plunge the knife into this boy more than anything right now, and if it weren't for Gohan, she would have.

            "I'm sorry, but, we can't do that," Gohan spoke for his family.

            Rojan looked up and gritted his teeth.

            "He is the last of his kind. He has no where to go. His life is over." Mira shuddered. "He wants you to end it."

            "Perhaps there's a better solution," Videl suggested. She was amazed that anyone would offer their own life as an apology. "What's your name?"

           "He is Rojan Hoshi," Mira answered for him, leaving out the name she hated. He wasn't the Emperor's son anymore. He didn't need the name Chonekken. 

            "Well, since you're kind of stuck here, you can stay with us, as long as you agree to not try to kill us," Gohan laughed nervously.

            "ARE YOU JOKING!?!" Pan screamed.

            "Now Pan, many of our friends were once the bitterest of enemies. Just think about Mr. Buu and Vegeta."

            She was smoking mad, but knew her father was right. "Fine," she growled. "But it doesn't mean I have to like it!" Pan stormed off. 

            Rojan looked to Mira. He was astounded. What was he going to do now? They were letting him live!? These lower life forms were showing him.. mercy!?! He remembered his father and brother discussing world conquest mercilessly and a unexpected, grateful tear welled up in one of his eyes. 

*

            The room was grey with the dim light of dawn as Akiko slowly woke up. She struggled to get her bearings. This time she had really done it. Her power was still very low, but she had to wake up. She had to know if he made it through the night. Maybe she still had enough in her to give him a little more. She sat up and moaned lightly with the exertion. Something stirred beside her.

            "You're awake.." Trunks propped himself up and put his hand on her back. Akiko blinked at him and trembled.

            "Trunks? How..?" She lifted her hands up and touched his chest. "You're.. am I..?"

            "It's over. I'm fine, thanks to you."

            She was still baffled. "But, I couldn't have done THAT much.."

            "Senzu bean." Trunks smiled.

            Finally, Akiko understood and cried out with joy. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed hard. He squeezed back until she shrieked in pain.

            "What?! Oh my God are you ok?"

            "I didn't get a Senzu bean!" she laughed. "I think my ribs are still broken." Akiko poked herself and winced. "Oh yeah, hang on..." She placed her hands over the afflicted area and massaged. Soon, the bones underneath were whole and she was ready to play rough.

*

            JJ carried Niji into the air-car. 

            "Are you sure this is ok, JJ?" Marron asked her friend.

            "Oh yeah. I have lots of adopted siblings, Niji'll blend right in!"

            The little girl giggled into the teen's shirt. She was going to have a home.

            The Z Girls waved good-bye as the car headed for the USA. 

            Pan folded her arms and frowned. "What are you guys gonna do now?"

            "Well, Goten's taking me to his house. I don't really want to go home just yet." Marron wrung her hands.

            Pan raised her brows. "You're going with Goten?"

            She blushed. "Yeah."

            "Guess you're lucky he broke up with Paris!" Bra smirked.

            "Yeah, well, what about you and the French guy?" Marron chided.

            "Which French guy? The big bald one!?"

            Bra nodded. "He's a genius! Imagine, I went to school looking for a guy who knows his stuff and this random high-school drop-out finds ME!"

            Gohan and Videl said good-bye to Bulma and motioned to Pan. She saw Rojan trailing them and fumed.

            "Hey, that Rasha boy's pretty cute, Pan."

            Marron looked in the direction Bra was looking. "Ooh, I like the haircut!"

            "WHAT!? Is everyone on drugs!? He almost killed us all!"

            "Well, HE didn't in particular," Bra argued. "You can't blame him especially for his people's actions."

            "Oh yeah? Watch me." She stomped off after her parents, sneering at Rojan who kept his distance from her.

            "Bye Pan!" Marron called out. 

            Bra shook her head. "How long do you think it's gonna be till they hook up?"  
            "I give it half a year."

            "Mmm-hm."

*

            Akiko put her clothes on and tried to leave the room without waking Trunks. 

            "Where you going?" he murmured. 

            "I have to go talk to Mira."

            "Why?"

            "We have to figure out what happens now." She sat on the corner of the bed. He rolled over and put his arms around her. 

            "Don't be too long." He smiled.

*

            Mira, Gosan, Akago and Akiko sat in the grass outside the Capsule dome and discussed the future. Akiko confessed that she had fallen in love with Trunks and didn't mind at all if they had to stay in this dimension while they waited for the Dragonballs to recharge.

            "I see…" Mira smirked.

            "But it'll still suck to leave him behind, even if it is a year from now. I wish I had a key between both worlds so I could come and go whenever. Then I could see Trunks and my family."

            "Well, you have time to decide what to do." Her aunt petted her hand. "I have already notified Dibad of our victory and safety." Gosan and Akago stopped throwing grass at one another and looked up past Mira and Akiko. Slowly, the women turned.

            Standing just behind them was a tall, green-skinned young man smiling down at them. Mira bowed her head respectfully.

            "Who are you?"

            "I'm Kami," Dende bowed and introduced himself. "Akiko Son, could I have a word with you?"

*

            Trunks paced back and forth in front of the window in his room. Akiko entered silently.

            "I'm leaving."

            His smile fell. "What?! But wait a second, I thought your family already used the Dragonballs…"

            "I'm not going home." 

            Suddenly Trunks's brows came together. He set his jaw. "You never had any intention of staying with me." 

            "That's not true."

            "No?"

            "No! I love you, but..."

            "But? There's conditions?" Trunks raised his voice.

            "NO! You don't understand, I have been asked to be the Goddess of All Dimensions!" This quieted him. "Kami-sama has offered me this job on behalf of higher powers. It's a great honor!" She tried to look into his eyes, but he was looking out the window. 

            "Asked," he snarled. "Why don't you just say 'called up' if you're so pious all of a sudden?"

            "Trunks, please, there's no need to get nasty."

            "Oh yeah, I'm sorry," he paced. "You see, I'm just kinda unused to having someone I trust implicitly destroy me."

            "Trunks.."

            He wasn't going to stop now. "Even when you revealed yourself as the Blue-Haired Saiyan; even after you came clean about being Goku's grandkid!

            "Please don't do this," she whispered. She was about to explain that with this power, she could visit him and her family, but it was too late.

            "That's it, isn't it?" he circled her. "You're just a kid? You're my sister's age! Of course you'd be impulsive! I should have thought about that before I got involved with a teenager. I bet that's it. I bet you've never loved anyone like this before, have you?"

            She pursed her lips and squeezed her eyes shut.

            "I bet you were a virgin too, weren't you?"

            He had gone too far. She lashed out and slapped him hard across the face. Akiko frowned and glared at him. "Yes, I was!" Her heart snapped in two as she turned her back on him. Akiko stormed out of the room, leaving Trunks clutching his jaw, unable to stop her; unable to tell her how much he loved and needed her.  

            "Dende! I'm ready!" 

            Akiko held her hands to the sky and she began to transform. Her tail disappeared. Her skin color faded to bleach white. Elaborate, ancient garments wound their way around her body. Her hair was blown around her face and magically cut and changed into a bob with two long braids cascading from either side of her head. Finally, a silver katana floated into her hands. She opened her slate-blue eyes and nodded to her astounded siblings and aunt. 

            "Let's go. I'll take you home, then I will begin my mission."

            Mira blinked at her. "I believe I am very proud of you, Akiko."

            She smiled and pointed the sword at the sky. In one motion, she carved a hole in the dimensional fabric and she and her family stepped through, back into Dibad.

**End Chapter Nine**

**French:**

"C'est Roland, N'est-ce pas?" "je ne pense pas..."

"It's Roland, isn't it?" I don't think that..."

"Vous parlez mon langue?"

"You speak my language?"

"Oui, je parle tout les langues. Et je sais que.. you are in pain."

"Yes, I speak all languages. And I know that... you are in pain."

"D'accord." she began to walk away. "A beintot, 

"Ok," ..... "Later."

"Madame Dix-huit?" he looked to her finally. "Merci."

"Mrs. Eighteen?".... "thanks"

"Je vous en prie."

"Your welcome."

"Oui, un petit peu. Pourquoi"

"Yeah, a little bit. Why?"

"Est-ce que cela vous fait mal?"

"Does that hurt?"

"C'est rien. Vous ne pouvez pas faire rien."

"It's nothing. You can't do anything."

"Comment?!.."

"How..?"

"Mais, ton frere.."

"But your brother..."

"Fermé ta bouche, je travaille!"

"Shut up, I'm working!"

"Je le fait."

"I made it." 


	11. Ten

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Chapter Ten - An Interlude "The Android's Tears"  
**

            Chi-chi walked Goten and Marron to the door. "You're welcome anytime, dear."

            "Thank you." The young woman bowed her head. "You've been so kind to me, Mrs. Son."

            "You ready?" Goten opened the passenger side door of his air-car. She nodded and got in. They took off for the south. 

*

            The car settled into the parking space behind another car adjacent to the little house. It was a bright, sunny Saturday. Neighbors were out tending their lawns and playing with their kids. Marron trudged to the door, followed by her friend. She turned the lock nervously and entered.

            The house was cool and quiet. The air was stagnant. She pouted lightly and opened the blinds. Sunlight streamed in and illuminated the dust flying in the atmosphere. Marron opened several windows.

            "You know, I've never been to your house." Goten looked around with mild interest. 

            "You're not missing much." She walked from the living room to the kitchen.  "You hungry?"

            "Heh, I'm always hungry!" He grinned. She wasn't amused. "But, I don't want to inconvenience you."

            "It's ok. I don't know what we have... let's see..." The cupboards were rather bare. Goten's stomach growled against his will. "There's some beans... ramen... I have no idea what this is…" She pulled some food out.

            "Beans sound good."

            "Kee doke." She looked for a clean dish. The house had been left in a hurry and no one had done the dishes. They were stacked up in the sink. She found a pair of clean coffee mugs, dumped the beans into them and popped them in the microwave. 

           Goten thanked her and did his best not to swallow them all in one gulp. She took a bite of hers and played with them, staring absently at the floor in front of him. She shook her head and sighed, coming out of her contemplation and saw that the half-Saiyan was staring at her mug. She smiled and handed it to him. "I'm not really hungry right now."

            He thanked her again, made sure she was ok with it and consumed her half. 

            Marron wandered around and looked at things in her family's house as if she were seeing them for the first time. 

            "Hey, I remember this day!" Goten said of a picture on an end table. It was of Krillin, Eighteen and Marron as a baby in front of Capsule Corp. Goten and Trunks's heads could be seen poking into the frame making goofy faces. Otherwise it was a lovely portrait.

            "Yeah, Dad really liked that one. He said it was serious and not at the same time. That was him, really. Even when the shit hit the fan, he had a joke or a funny insult to make everyone feel better." Marron turned away from him suddenly. "Oh Kami, I'm talking about him in the past tense!" She couldn't stop the tears.

            Goten furrowed his brows and tried to think of something to say to console her. "I've been there."

            Marron faced him and wiped the tears away. "Yeah. It sucks."

            They stood there for a moment. Neither knowing what to say.

            "I guess I better get back home."

            Marron bit her lip.

            "You gonna be ok?" He approached her and put his hand tentatively on her shoulder. That was all she needed.

            "NO!" she sobbed and fell against his chest. He was surprised, but hugged her and rubbed her back. He whispered that he was there for her. She pulled back and met his eyes. He looked on her with sympathy. She knew then that he really cared. "I don't want to be alone." 

            "But, what about your mom?" 

            She had to laugh a little bit at the question. "I'd be surprised to see her next month much less tomorrow!"

            "Why isn't she here with you now?" Goten was angered by Eighteen's inaction.

            "Because she's taking it worse than I am."

*

            The cave was well hidden by the over grown shrubbery but she knew its location intimately. Pushing the foliage aside gently so as not to disturb the excellent camouflage, she ducked in. It was pitch dark, but her irises expanded to let in what little light seeped through the entrance. 

            Water made a chorus of pinging sounds as it dripped from the ceiling onto the equipment. She walked over to the pods. Dusting one off revealed the number 18. The android sighed and closed her eyes.

            "Beat ya here," a voice called out from the darkness. Eighteen was startled, but more angry than afraid of him.

            "Seventeen..." she grumbled. 

            "Happy birthday, Sister."

            She did not reply. She was the quiet one, so he was not upset at her silence. "Call me a human, but I have the feeling you're upset."

            "You're correct. Krillin is dead."

            "I heard." Seventeen pouted. "No one asked ME if I wanted to fight..." He may have been almost thirty years old, but he would always be a teenager at heart. Even though a wish (to a very confused Eternal Dragon) several years back had granted him mortality.

            "It's always about you, isn't it, Seven?"

            "Of course it is." He smirked. His sister was still stoic; more so than usual. "Honestly, Teena. I am concerned. In case you've forgotten, I have a woman of my own whom I can't imagine losing." He dumped some scrap parts off a table onto the floor of the cave and sat down. Eighteen stood where she was. "What happens now?"

            "You're so lucky..." she whispered. "There is no wish to be made for me."

            He made a face. "You're beginning to freak me out, Teena. What's going on?"

            She looked to him finally. "I came here today for two reasons: for our 'birthday' and..." Her eyes closed and she turned away from his inevitable reaction. "To say good-bye."

            "What, you want to kill yourself!?" Seventeen jumped off the table and stared at her. 

            "No! I just.. I don't know.. I just.. don't want to live forever..." 

            "Teena..." He understood. He had gone through the same trauma years ago, but had been too pig-headed to go to his sister for advice. He kicked himself now for not having done so. Maybe if he had, she would have wished herself mortal as he had... maybe.. Seventeen gritted his teeth. "So, what will you do?"

            "I don't know. I haven't ruled out self-detonation, yet. Maybe someday I'll just... run out." She illustrated this by raising her hand and letting it fall. "Plop."

            "Maybe, but what about Marron?"

            She made a face. "Yes. Marron. She's grown up. Christ, she looks older than me now. I've had strangers take me for her younger sister. She'll be fine without me." This last phrase choked her up so she fell silent. Seventeen didn't seem to notice.

            "So this is good-bye then, Number Eighteen?"

            "I'm afraid so. If not forever, for a long time. I need to think. There's so much about humanity I thought I understood which I know now I don't. I'm going to travel and experiment. Try to find some... meaning."

            "When you think I can help answer any questions..." He extended his hand.

            She nodded and took it. Seventeen was shocked to feel her pull him close to her and hug him, tightly. 

            "I will. Good-bye, Number Seventeen." She turned and walked slowly out through the overgrown entrance. He watched her go.

            "Good luck."

*

            After going out to shop, Marron and Goten cooked a large dinner in the little house. They chatted about the past and shared stories their fathers had told them about things that happened before they were born. They turned on many lights and played music on the stereo. At last, the house was alive. Marron smiled at Goten and cleared the coffee mugs which had served their true purpose. She rinsed them out and sighed. It had been a long day.

            "Do you still want me to say, Marron?" he asked from the swinging kitchen door. 

            "Yes, please!" she said a little too enthusiastically. "I... I don't know if I'm ready to handle this place on my own."

            "No problem." He smiled sincerely. She thought to herself that his was the sweetest smile she had ever known. She blushed.

            "Wanna watch a video? I have Monty Python on disc!"

            "Oh, I watched some of that with Trunks once. Those are the British guys with the silly walks and dead parrots and stuff, right?"

            "Yeah, that's the Flying Circus. Ever seen any of the movies?"

            He thought for a second. "I don't think so."

            "Wow!" She skipped past him into the living room. "You're practically a virgin!"

            "WHAT?!?"

            "A Python Virgin! Check it, I got Holy Grail, Life of Brian, Jabberwocky..." She tossed the DVDs at him for his inspection.

            "I heard the Grail one is good." He was amazed at her enthusiasm. 

            Marron set up the movie and turned out the lights. They settled in on the couch and vegetated. They started off sitting on opposite ends of the love seat, but as the film progressed and their laughter made them more comfortable, they inched closer together. By the time Lancelot took Swamp Castle, Goten took Marron. They made out in the dim flicker of the television long after it went to a blue screen then fell asleep, tangled awkwardly in each other's arms. 

*

            Eighteen entered through the back door sometime around dawn. She saw the car in the drive way and knew who had to be inside. She went about her task silently, sensing they were still asleep. Maybe she could do what she had to do and get out without waking them. 

            Teena went upstairs and took a box out of the closet. Inside it were dozens of photographs. She found the one she was looking for. She remembered that Yamcha had taken it the day before her wedding. He was the only person she knew of who still used black and white film for snap shots. 

            Krillin was standing on the top step on the stoop at Kame House. Eighteen was below him, so he appeared to be taller than she. She put all the rest of the photos back where she had found them. The android put this in a bag along with some clothes. The last item she packed was a jacket, too heavy for the warm weather, but essential. The Red Ribbon army logo on the back was faded, but she liked that jacket enough to want to take it with her.

            She came back down into kitchen and was aggravated to see Marron come through the swinging door, just as she was leaving. 

            "Mom!" her daughter cried and stood where she was. 

            "Marron," Eighteen replied. "Good morning."

            The young woman positioned herself strategically in front of the door.

            "You know very well you can't hide anything from me." Marron began to explain Goten's presence, but her mother cut her off. "You're old enough to be married, Marron. It's all right. And, good choice by the way. Goten's a good man. No money, of course, but as long as you're happy..." 

            "Thank you." Marron noticed the pack on her back. "Are you leaving again?"

            "Yes. I'm going away for a while. I can't really explain it to you, it's just something I need to do, and I'd prefer it if you not question me about my decision."

            Marron frowned. "You know I've never questioned you. I know why you're leaving. You're running away." She didn't hide her displeasure. "I did too, but I'm staying. Goten and I are staying here."

            "Marron, what do I have to run from? This house? The memories? I will always have the memories, ten times more clear than you can imagine."

            "How bout me, Mom!?" she raised her voice.

            "You?" Teena's expression remained unchanged. "Marron, you have never needed me. You were your father's daughter, and you've found a piece of him in that hunk out there on the couch. Soon, he'll be enough to fill the void and you'll be happy again."

            Marron blinked dumbly at her. She couldn't remember her mother ever being so forward with her. She suddenly realized that Krillin's death had changed Eighteen, as well as her. She hung her head.

            Eighteen approached her and took her hands. "Marron. You'll be fine. Of this I'm confident." Her daughter looked up with tears in her eyes. She smiled at her and squeezed her hands back.

            "I'll miss you, Mom!"

            "I'll miss you, too." She let her go and turned away before the tears spilled over onto her cheeks. She walked to the back door. "Perhaps we'll meet again." Without a sound, the android left. Marron stared out the door's little window until she was no longer in sight, then went back to her dozing man. 

**Disclaimer:**

            I've taken inspiration for the last interlude from "17 And In Between": a Seventeen saga by Crystaviel

**End Chapter Ten**


	12. Eleven

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Chapter Eleven - An Interlude : "The Star of the Ball"**

            It was the end of the day at Orange Star High School and the students were chatting in the hallway; getting their books together; getting ready to go home. Pan filled her backpack and closed her locker. As the door shut, she saw him at the end of the hall. That boy from physics who she thought was cute. She looked up to the banner in the middle of the hallway. It read 'Orange Star Prom!' 

            Her stomach turned a little as she approached the boys' lockers. "Um, Mas?" she asked timidly.

            The tall, dark-skinned boy stopped talking to his friends and looked at her. "Yeah Pan?"

            "Um... I was wondering... would you like to... go to the prom with me?"

            Mas made a face. He looked to his friends who all gave him signs that said 'say no!'. "I'm sorry Pan, I have.. other plans."

            "Other plans?!" she barked. "But it's prom night! What else do you have to do?"

            "Anything that doesn't involve dating you?" he answered with a smirk. His friends laughed, seeming to forget the girl's strength and temper. She was having a bad day, though, and merely hung her head and walked away.

            "Excuse me gentlemen, might I inquire what's so funny?" a boy came up from behind them and asked. 

            "That crazy Pan chick.." Mas began while turning around. "Oh hey, you're that kid who lives with her, aren't you?"

            Rojan bowed. "I am her servant and I'd like to ask you to take back whatever you said to upset her."

            Mas puffed out his chest. He was a half a foot taller than the blue-haired boy. "Make me."

            "Very well." Rojan bowed and gave him a sound thrashing. 

            Rojan ran a hand through his short hair and walked up the hall to the entry way. Girls stopped their conversations as he passed and swooned as if he were a young Frank Sinatra. He was oblivious. 

            Several girls pushed one of their friends towards him. "Rojan, do you have a date to the prom?" 

            "No, I don't," he admitted and kept walking.

            The girl's hopeful smile fell as he ignored her. "Ok, maybe he IS gay."

            Pan tromped slowly down the front steps. 

            "Hey Pan, found a date for the prom yet?" a blond girl holding her books to her chest flanked by three other well-groomed teenage girls asked. "Oh wait." She put her index finger to her lip. "Nope. I don't think Hell's frozen over yet." The girls giggled.

            Pan's lip wriggled and her fist finally forced its way through her emotions. The blond sprawled on the ground.

            "Sheesh," she grumbled as she walked away. "That didn't even make me feel better." 

*

            Dinner that night at the Son household was unusually quiet. "So, I saw that the Orange Star prom is coming up," Gohan made an attempt at conversation. He expected Rojan's silence, but not his daughter's. "Pan, do you have a.."

            "No!"

            "... date.. yet..?" He looked to his wife for a suggestion. 

            "Uh.. Rojan, how about you? Do you have a date yet?" 

            He shrugged his shoulders. "No Ma'am."

            Videl looked to Gohan and raised her eyebrows.

            Pan zoned out on her food and poked at it with her chopsticks. 'He sounds like he doesn't even care! What a stuck-up snob! I guess that's how His Star-Headed Highness sees the prom; just a stupid little plebeian how-down compared to what he's probably used to. I bet he went to gala balls where everyone wore diamonds and pearls and beautiful dresses and danced all night.' She looked over at the would-be Rasha Emperor. He sat bolt-upright and consumed his dinner delicately and perfectly. Her thoughts wandered further and she pictured him in a tuxedo... with her at his side. 

            Pan shook her head and pushed away from the table. "Well, you may think it's lame, but I don't!" she shouted at him suddenly and ran up the stairs.

            The three remaining house members exchanged glances.

            Rojan blushed slightly. "She's had a rough day."

*

            "So, you're going with Mas?" A girl asked the blond in front of the mirror. 

            "Ah-ha," she answered while she put on more eye-liner. 

            "Did you know that Pan asked him out yesterday?"

            "Yeah, can you believe it! What a freak. It's a shame, really. Pan could be popular. She's Mr. Satan's granddaughter, but she's a scary tom-boy!"

            The girls' laughter echoed through the locker room. As they exited it petered out and the sound of sobbing could be heard. Pan sat on the other side of an island of lockers, hugging her knees, crying softly. She was strong against physical attackers, but against female cruelty, she had no defense. 

*

            During D period lunch, Rojan followed the murmurs and jibes to the gym where he found Pan throwing medicine balls as if they were tennis balls through a hole she had broken in the western wall. She grunted not out of exertion but to let off steam as she lobbed each one as hard as she could. 

            In the year that he had known her, Rojan had learned to calm Pan down without making her feel that she was being condescended to. He attempted to do so now.

            "Hello Ms. Son." He walked over to her and watched her pitch. "How are you?"

            "What the hell is wrong with people!?" she screamed as she threw another one. "Why does everyone have to treat me like garbage!"

            "Do I treat you poorly?" he asked, concerned.

            "You don't count," she grumbled and remembered what he had said last night at dinner. "Goddamn it! I bet you'll have no problem finding a date! Everyone wants to take you!"

            "I don't have a date."

            "You... you still don't? But... the prom's tomorrow!"

            He shook his head. Rojan bit the inside of his lip. He knew he had to keep her from feeling he was pitying her, but he HAD to ask her out now. He was quiet while he struggled to think.

            "Do you even care about this thing?" she turned to him and asked, having run out of medicine balls.

            "I don't know." He froze up and shrugged apathetically.

            Pan turned away from him and frowned, fighting with herself. "Yeah, me either."

            Rojan rolled his eyes. "Well..?"

            She shrugged. "If you don't care.."

            "Sure.."

            "Ok then, I'll go with you." She walked back to the locker room. "BUT JUST AS FRIENDS!" she yelled as she left the gym, her face grew a brighter shade of red with every step. The word "friends" reverberated considerably.

            Rojan sighed deeply. "Friends!" he beamed and clapped his hands together.

*

            Videl and Chi-chi fussed over Pan as she got ready the next night. They mooned over how big she had gotten and how special this night would be. The women's attention just made her more nervous and angry. Finally, she screamed at them to back off and adjusted her rather large chest in her dress. 

            "She doesn't get those from me," Chi-chi blushed. Videl folded her arms over hers. 

            Pan pushed past them and began descending the stairs. At the top, she paused for a moment and sucked in her breath, not to improve her appearance; she looked amazing. She held her chin up and imagined the stairs to be covered with a red carpet and that she was a Princess coming down to meet her Prince... 

            ...Or her Emperor. Images of what she thought he would look like when she rounded the corner came to her. He was wearing his usual plain, white tee-shirt and jeans. She almost ran back up to her room, till she realized she had reached the bottom of the stairs. She rounded the corner and let her breath out at last. 

            Rojan had his back turned, talking to Gohan. As her father's face lit up, Rojan turned and smiled at her. He was wearing his regal uniform. It was a slightly purplish charcoal grey (which matched the dark purple star in the middle of his forehead), sharp and elegant and had enough stripes on it to tell you he was a pretty important individual. His hair was perfect. She felt dull next to him, but then she noticed the way he looked at her and she began to shine. 

            "Ohmygod... is that.. PAN!?!"

            "With... ROJAN!?!" the girls' moths fell open as they made their entrance. Pan wore makeup and a glittering, antique necklace and rhinestone earrings that had been her grandmother's. Her dress was a pale, dusty-pink, taffeta, strapless affair and seemed to match Rojan's uniform perfectly. 

            The DJ noticed all the kids stop dancing and look in the same direction. He grinned and quickly segued from the hip-hop he'd been playing to a slow trip-hop song.

            "Oooh," Pan cooed. "Massive Attack! I love this group!"

            Rojan smiled and lead her onto the dance floor. She blushed and protested a little, but he kept pulling her hand. She saw the other teens looking on in wonder and found her courage. 

                        "Love is a dueling word... 

                        Black flowers blossom.. 

                        Teardrop on the fire 

                        Feel the sunlight break..."

            The kids who had been dancing cleared away and left them alone. Rojan knew all the classic moves of elegant slow-dance. Pan thanked Kami that she had put up with her grandmother's demand that she take dancing lessons.

            The slow song segued into another faster one and the dance floor crowded back up again. They peeled away to get a drink. Everyone's eyes were still on them. A chaperone came up to the couple.

            "Pan, Rojan. How come your names aren't in the running for prom king and queen?" the principal asked.

            Pan choked on her punch. Rojan simply shrugged, the blush beginning to form on his cheeks. 

            "Well, that's easily amended." The woman smiled and wrote their names on a list she had on a clipboard. 

            Pan panicked and tried to stop her. Rojan held her back. "Would that be such a terrible thing?" he asked.

            "Oh God, I am SO embarrassed!"

            He pouted. "Why, Ms. Son? Because you're with me? I can leave if you want me to..."

            "NO! I mean... Oh I don't know. Only popular people get to be prom king and queen!"

            The music was potted down as the Principal took the stage. She took the mic from the DJ and tapped it a few times till the feedback sang through the room. "Ah... Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention? The votes for prom king and queen are being re-tabulated to accommodate a last-minute entry."

            There was a considerable amount of murmuring through the crowd. Pan looked like she was going to faint. 

            Another teacher handed the results to the principal. "And the 'Stars' of the Orange Star Prom: our King and Queen this year are..."

            'Please let us win. Oh Kami, please!' Pan thought frantically as she wrung her hands. She couldn't face her classmates if she turned up a loser again.

            "Rojan Hoshi and Pan Son!" 

            She cried out in shock and threw her arms around Rojan. He went to hug her back, but was too slow. She was already dragging him to the stage. The principal crowned them both with glittery, plastic crowns, littered with tiny, orange stars. Suddenly, Pan remembered the movie, Carrie and had a strong desire to get the hell off the stage immediately, but everyone was applauding them. Everyone but Mas and his blonde date. Pan smiled regardless and blew kisses to the crowd. 

            Pan and Rojan danced all night. When the DJ stopped, they knew it was time to go home. The night was warm, but the breeze made them chilly. Rojan took off his coat and draped it over Pan's shoulders. They stepped out of the gym and up into the air.

            Soon, they touched down on the front stoop of their house. 

            "Did you have a good time, Rojan?"

            "With you? Of course I did. Thank you Ms. Son."

            "For what?"

            "For condescending to treat your humble servant as your friend." He bowed deeply.

            "Stop that." She softened. "You are my friend, Rojan. And please, never call me Ms. Son again. My friends (what few of them I have) call me Pan."

            Gohan, Videl and Chi-chi watched them secretly through the window.

            "Oh, it looks good! They're smiling!"  Videl beamed.

            "Who knows?" Gohan hugged her. "Maybe our little girl HAS really grown up!"

            Chi-chi jockeyed for a better view. "Well, she'd better not get too mature!"

            "I had a good time, too," Pan smiled and held his hands. Slowly, painfully slowly, they started to come together. Their eyes closed and their lips met.

            Chi-chi made a dash for the door, but Gohan and Videl restrained her. There was no harm in a good-night kiss, even when both parties lived under the same roof.

             The kiss started off fairly innocently, but as they began to realize how much they felt for each other, and HAD felt for a long time now, their passion grew. Pan moaned sweetly as he put his arms around her.

            The parents nodded to each other and released the disapproving grandmother. She flew out the door, scaring them half to death. Chi-chi barked at them to behave themselves. They nodded shyly, but their eyes were locked on each other and their smiles could not be erased.

**End Chapter Eleven**

040800042300


	13. Twelve

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Chapter Twelve  - An Interlude : "In The Right Hands"**

**Notes: **Please assume that if Bra and Roland are speaking to each other, they're speaking French unless otherwise noted.

            The sun shone down on the Capsule grounds and made Bra raise her hand to shield her eyes as she emerged from one of the dome-shaped buildings. Her companion looked out through his Black Fly sunglasses at their next destination. 

            "Ok, that was aeronautics. The last department is my favorite: research and development." Bra grinned as they entered the elevator in the main building. The button for the R&D floor was heavily worn. Someone had put a happy face with fangs sticker over the number. She hit this and leaned back against the wall as the elevator shot smoothly and silently upwards. In a moment, it came to a stop and she led him to a door completely covered in snowboarding and music related stickers and posters. She winked up at her friend and put on a serious face. Music thumped lightly from behind the door. She punched in her pass code quickly and burst through the door. 

            Everyone in the room gasped when they saw her. She had her hands on her hips and a nasty look in her eye. A beat of silence followed before the group grinned and greeted her in unison.

            "WHASSAAAAAP!?"

            "Whassssssaaaaaaaaap?!" she replied and walked in, slapping hands and tapping fists. "Guys, this is Roland. He's gonna be my assistant. Roland only speaks French at the moment, so if he doesn't seem very friendly, that's probably why." 

            Some of the workers looked up at the intimidatingly tall Frenchman and smile-and-nodded.

            "Roland, ce c'est R et D."

            "Bonjour." He bowed slightly at the waist. 

            "This is my favorite place. They're the coolest people at Capsule."

            "They seem cool," Roland assented.

            "Ok, catch ya laters!"

            "Later Bra!"

            They walked outside to the last building on the tour. Two armed guards stood at the door, but peeled back when they saw Bra coming. She chatted with them for a second as she entered her code. At last, the door opened and she led Roland in.

            "Welcome to PL2: the private lab."

            "Why is it called 2?"

            "The first one was destroyed after my brother's grand tour. It's a long story. Almost everything inside was encapsulated at the time, so we hardly lost anything. It's exactly the same lab, but my mom was adamant about the 2."

            There were shelves lining the walls and boxes on the shelves. Roland could only imagine the thousands of capsules contained within. 

            "The only people allowed in here are Mom, me and Trunks and sometimes Daddy, but that's pretty rare."

            "Bra, if this is the last department, does that mean that there is no bio-mechanical department?"

            "Not yet!" She smiled. "All my work in that field is in here, along with developments the family has deemed too advanced for humanity."

            "What do you mean, too advanced?" He couldn't believe that the greatest corporation in the world withheld its most lofty inventions.

            "Well, as you must know, science is inherently benign. When we create, we do so to make something better or to test the limits of our understanding. But there are always those who can find a way to misuse our best intentions." Bra made a sweeping gesture, indicating to the shelves. "These compromise some of Capsule Corp.'s best intentions. That's why I like bio-mech so much; it's pretty human-friendly." She crossed to a workbench and hefted herself up to sit on it. 

            "Did Capsule create Miss Eighteen?" Roland asked.

            Bra had all she could do to keep from blushing. "No. She's a bit of a long story herself. I'm only just beginning to delve into her creator, Dr. Gero's schematics."

            The Frenchman stood there as if waiting for her to explain. She jumped down off the counter and motioned for him to follow her. 

            "Come on, lets get something to eat and maybe I can con my mom into telling you all about the Jinzouningen."

*

            A few weeks later, Roland was helping Bra organize the evil Doctor's ingenious notes. They sat in front of computer screens and mumbled in French to each other. Occasionally Bra would insert a word in her own language in an attempt to teach him. Her mother came in to work during one such conversation. She blinked at them a few times before asking them something.

            "Bra, have you seen your brother?"

            "Uh.. not since last night. Why?"

            "He missed a board meeting this afternoon."

            Bra sucked in her breath. She knew that was a no-no. Was he dropping the ball again? She furrowed her brows. "Damn it, I thought he was through being an idiot."

            "Bra, Trunks isn't an idiot. He's just.. got some.. issues right now."

            'Issues'. That was the code word around their house for 'Akiko'. Bra nodded.

            "I think he just needs some time."

            "I hope so, Mom."

            "What's wrong with your brother?" Roland looked away from his monitor.

            Bra smiled. He understood some of what they had said. "Ever since Akiko left, he's been hard core in the dumps. He really loved her."

            "I see." He pursed his lips momentarily before turning back to his work. 

            "Well, if you see him..." Bulma sighed and folded her arms.

            "I'll let ya know."

            Bulma sighed again, lost in her thoughts. She noticed a pair of dirty coffee cups, picked them up and took them out of the room.

            "Sank you," Roland said with a thick accent. Bra smiled again. 

            She leaned back in her chair and put her hands behind her head. The Frenchman was heavily into his work again. The pages of diagrams flashed in the reflection on his sunglasses. 'That's weird,' she thought. 'I don't think I've ever seen him without them.'

*

            Bulma heard them coming around the corner. Bra and Roland were unmistakable with their bi-lingual banter. It was late and they had been out all day. 'She's 22 years old!' Bulma reminded herself and sneaked back up the stairs to her bedroom. 

            Bra put the kettle on for tea and leaned against the enormous refrigerator. "I had a great time tonight." She smiled sweetly and scuffed her foot along the floor. 

            "Me too," he replied in her language and smiled back. "You want me to get the cups?" Roland asked as he crossed to the cupboards.

            "Oh no, I'll get them," Bra insisted. They bumped into each other in the middle and excused themselves quickly. Neither moved. Bra stared up at the six foot four, completely bald Frenchman and shivered. She suddenly desperately wished she was just a little taller. He seemed to sense this and bowed to meet her waiting lips. 

            Bra was pleasantly surprised to discover that he was an excellent kisser. She made a soft, happy sound and reached up to remove his sunglasses.

            The tea kettle screamed as Roland straightened up. This brought Bra out of her trance. She nervously turned it off. She could feel her cheeks burning as she poured the tea. When she turned around he was sitting at the table, his hands clasped on its surface, thumbs rubbing against one another nervously. Now more than ever she wanted him to take off his bug-like sunglasses. The desire to see his eyes was all-consuming.

            "Roland, I really like you," she began as she set the cups down. 

            "Bra, I like you too, so I guess it's about time I told you..." His thumbs twiddled faster.

            Her brows came together. "Told me what?"

            "I'm just afraid you will be disgusted."

            A cold, sinking feeling came over her. He HAD been hiding something. 

            "My arm is not the only part of me which I have re-constructed with bio-mechanics. You wanted to remove my sunglasses." He lowered his head. "You would not have been able to do so."

            "What?" Bra stared at him, unblinking. He lifted his head and stared back. He looked at her as if it would be the last time he would ever see her. Placing his fingers to his temples, Roland pushed a series of hidden buttons and disconnected the Black Flies from his head. Gently, he pulled them forward and the synthesized image of the woman before him blacked out. 

            "Oh my God..." she gasped and looked at the pale skin and circuitry which had been hidden. There was silence for a moment as she took it in. Roland hung his head. 

            He was shocked to feel her hand on his cheek. She sat on the table and lifted his head up to have a closer look. "What happened to you?"

            "An industrial accident at my last place of work. One of Capsule's competitors, actually. I lost my arm and my eyes. Most of this side of me," he indicated with his right arm to his left, "has been reconstructed in one way or another."

            "Roland, that's incredible! You did this yourself?"

            "Oui."

            Bra touched some of the work as she tried to understand how he had done it. "So, the glasses are the interface."

            He handed them to her. Sure enough, there were two tiny cameras affixed to the inside of the glass. Their connections ran down the stems to plugs on either side which corresponded to two matching ports near his temples. 

            "What mode do you perceive light in?"

            "Night vision and infrared. I use them alternately with a sort of heat vision."

            "No refracted color?"

            "Non."

            "Hmmmmm.."

            Roland would have raised an eyebrow if they weren't mostly covered with microchips.

            "Roland," Bra began sweetly. "Will you let me... improve you?"

            "Comment?"

            "I've been studying bio-mech for six years now. I've had success with test animals and human subjects. Will you let me use Capsule technology to give you TRUE sight?"

            He could hardly believe his ears. Not able to find the words, he stuttered. She quieted him with another kiss. When she pulled away, he vocalized his consent. Bra put his glasses back on and hugged him; her eyes shining with excitement.

*

            A half a year later, the scientific community was abuzz with the rumor that Capsule was about to unveil its new bio-mechanical department's first achievement. When the world's most powerful corporation scheduled a press conference, everyone knew that something huge was about to be announced. 

            Bra buttoned her suit jacket and checked her hair one more time in the mirror. Everything was in place. Roland appeared behind her.

            "You look beautiful, Ma Chere." He laced his real arm around her shoulders. She looked up, grinned and lifted his other arm and made him embrace her with that as well. He kissed the top of her head.

            "Ready?" she asked.

            "Almost." The Frenchman got to his knees in front of her. His chin just met her chest. Bra cocked an eyebrow at him in wonder. "Bra Oujisama..." He reached into his jacket pocket. "Before we go out there and put our names in the history books..." He pulled out a small, green box. "...would you do me the honor of agreeing to become my wife?"

            Bra's jaw fell open. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. "But.. but.. Roland!" she protested. "What if I fail you? What if this procedure is a flop?!"

            "So what?" He smiled and pointed to his glasses. "I'll be back to these.. I'll remain the same. My love for you will also remain the same. You are an amazing woman and I believe in you. I believe I am putting myself in the right hands."

            A man poked his head around the corner. "Two minutes, Ms. Oujisama."

            She waved absently at him and he disappeared. "Oh, Roland. Thank you! You don't know how much that means to me!" 

            "So you will be my bride?"

            "Yes!"

            The man who had given Bra the time stood at the podium and got his cue. "Ladies and gentlemen of the press, the late Dr. Breifs's granddaughter, Bra Oujisama and Roland DuNord of the Capsule Corporation's bio-mechanical division."

            They walked out of the wings hand in hand to the sound of flashbulbs and murmurs. 

            "Thank you for coming," the young woman began. "As you know, Capsule has been gearing up for this announcement for several months now. I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Tomorrow, we will commence an operation, which should it be successful, will improve the quality of life for thousands of people, world-wide.

            "In the past, vision correction has been limited to surgeries to reverse nearsightedness, farsightedness, cataracts and the like, and the various and often clumsy Dobell devices which have given limited vision to the completely blind. We have kept past accomplishments in mind as we have been working with advancements in bionic technology to implement a new way for the sightless to see the world. I give you the Perfect Vision System."

            As she said this, she pressed the button on a small capsule she had in her other hand and tossed it to her left. A presentation board on an easel exploded from it, bearing the name of the project and some nifty, 3d holograms and eye-catching graphics. There was a great deal more murmuring. "May I present to you the future first recipient of the PVS, my partner and... fiancee, Mr. Roland DuNord!"

            The cameras went crazy and journalists shouted and waved their hands wildly trying to get Bra's attention. 

            Bulma watched this on the television in the kitchen and fell over. Trunks shuffled by and raised his eyebrows. Vegeta was unfortunately no where near a TV, and would have to be informed in person later.

*

            The next day, Bra came out of the modified hospital room/lab and wiped her brow. After the seven hour procedure, she was exhausted. Although a third of the work was performed by actual brain surgeons, she had to be constantly attentive. It was over. All they had to do now was wait for Roland to recover from the anesthetic. She paced nervously, and as her mother often did in times of high stress, she went out the back door and bummed a cigarette from an intern. 

            Roland woke slowly and lay very still. He could feel the bandages on his face and knew that they were the reason for the complete blackness. It felt strange; this new system. He could tell the difference between his old way and the new parts. The muscles had been repaired and reactivated. He was told not to move his new eyes too much when he woke up, but he was so excited he forgot at first. 

            "D'oh!" he felt a twinge of pain and cried out. The doctors finally noticed he was awake and summoned Bra.

            She ran into the room as they were just beginning to unwrap the bandages. She pushed doctors aside and took over, gently but quickly unveiling her work. His eyes were closed, the lids still pinkish, but healthy looking. The scars from the accident which had taken his sight from him were very subtle now. She balled up the wrappings and threw them on the floor. 

            "Ok, Mon Amour, very, very slowly.. try to open your eyes."

            Roland (and everyone else in the room) held his breath. Already, he could see the bright orange of the room lights through the blood in his eyelids. A sliver of white, like a fuzzy crescent moon, grew larger as he forced the lids open. He blinked rapidly, each time the light got brighter. Soon there was color and shape, fuzzy, but bright. They were wide open at last and he blinked hard, trying to clear what he perceived.

            "Now, you probably wont be able to focus right away," Bra soothed him. "But... can you see anything, Roland?" She held his hands. 

            He squeezed them and began to smile. "I didn't know you had aqua hair."

            Bra gasped and put her hand to her mouth. She started to cry, and removing her hand to wipe the tears away she mouthed the words 'I love you'.

            "Don't cry," Roland said in her language with a little bit of a hiccuping laugh in his deep voice. "I love you too."

**End Chapter Twelve**

041900042000


	14. Thirteen

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Note: **

(-*-) indicates a change in setting from one dimension to another. 

means the speaker is being heard telepathically. 

indicates that the speakers are speaking Saiyan. 

            A few weeks after Bra Oujisama and Roland DuNord's wedding, the Capsule household settled back down to business as usual. Vegeta continued to train, sometimes going off for weeks at a time to points unknown. Bulma had shown just about every one of her employees the photographs from her daughter's big day. She was the future of Capsule Corp. Her mother had already begun to groom her to take over production and development. Roland was proving to be an excellent partner, both in life and work. He was brilliant, and already bringing the company new fame and fortune. His specialty was mechanics, electronics and programming and Bra's was bio-mechanics. They made a great team. 

*

- Capsule Corp. Thursday, March 23rd, 9:27 AM -

            Bulma hummed through the house. She was sixty-five years old and life was looking great. Her peaceful mood was shattered as her son entered the room. He was dour faced and a thin layer of lavender stubble covered his chin. She pouted and folded her arms.

            "Trunks, do you know what time it is?"

            He looked to the clock.  "9:30."

            "Aren't you supposed to be somewhere?"

            He ignored her.

            "Well!?"

            "I don't have an appointment till 11." He got some eggs out of the fridge and began to make breakfast.

            "You look like hell," his mother nagged.

            "Gee, thanks."

            "I don't know what's happened to you, but you've become a very unpleasant man. I always thought you'd end up more like me, but you've been behaving way more like your father these last few years."

            He grunted and took his scrambled eggs out to the breakfast nook. Bulma hovered around him as he ate, watching her son closely.

            "And don't think I don't know you're drinking..."

            "Mom, I'm thirty years old."

            "I know that!!!" she barked. "I'm saying it's not like you!"

            "Well, maybe this is the NEW me." He sneered without meeting her eyes and cleared his plate.

            "FINE! Be that way! You're becoming a real jerk."

            Trunks went out the front door without further insult. Bulma scowled at his back until the door closed, then slumped down into a chair. 'What's happened to you, Trunks?' she wondered and frowned. 'I wish there was something I could do to help you.'

            Trunks squinted in the sunlight. He knew his mother meant well, but she couldn't understand what he was going through. Especially because he didn't want to face up to what was bothering him. He walked around the house toward the largest building which served as the offices of Capsule Corp. Even though it was a beautiful day, Trunks wished that it was overcast. The bright sunshine made his hangover pulse through the veins in his head. Suddenly, a sound like a thousand sheets of fabric being torn at once made him jump out of his skin. He swung around to see where it came from and was greeted by an even brighter light. Trunks held his hands up to his face. A phantom wind blew his hair back, but ebbed quickly. The light faded and he was able to see the cause of the calamity.

            "Hello, Trunks," Akiko said with a voice like liquid silver. 

            He gawked at her and her white skin and Shinto-looking garb. She held a long, thin, sliver katana in her left hand. 

            "It's been a long time." She didn't quite smile, but didn't quite pout, either. They stood where they were, several paces apart in silence for a moment. "I've been watching you," she whispered.

            He set his jaw and scowled at her, his anger was so great he couldn't find a response. His thoughts jumbled and all he could do was stare at her.

            "I'm going to give you something that may make things.. easier." Akiko bowed her head. She sheathed the sword and opened her arms. The sleeves of her gown were long and reached the ground. As they parted, what she had been hiding from him was revealed. Two tiny children clung to her dress and peered out at him.

            "Trunks, meet your children: the twins; Soma," she nodded her head to the pink-haired girl, "and Adonai," then to the blue-black-haired boy. They both had pale, purple stars on their tiny foreheads. 

            Trunks couldn't believe this was happening. Her voice and appearance was so strange and this was such a heavy piece of news that he thought that he might wake up (very drunk) in a few moments. Akiko crouched down and sat on her folded legs. Trunks found it hard to stand and sank to the ground as well. He stared at the babies. They looked up at their mother and she nodded to them. They let go of her and toddled over to their father. He leaned back a little, but let them come. Soma looked much like Akiko, but a little like Bulma. Adonai was a split-spitting image of his grandfathers, Gohan and Vegeta. They both extended their short arms and hugged him. 

            He was so overtaken with emotion that he wanted to cry. He was irate with Akiko, but gushing over the babies. He was so confused that he didn't hug them back. 

            Soma looked to her twin and both looked back to their mother. She nodded again, this time, there was an immense sadness in her eyes. Soma let go of her father, hugged her brother and walked slowly back to Akiko. 

            The Goddess picked up her daughter, got to her feet and unsheathed the katana. She was hurrying. Her eyes glistened. "I hope in time you can forgive me," she seemed to say this to both man and boy. 

            Trunks stood and picked up his son. He tried to think of something to say, but he wanted to scream at her and beg her to stay at the same time. 

            Akiko made a sweeping, circular gesture with the sword and a new hole was cut open between the worlds. The same sound and celestial wind roared out of the portal and the babies began to cry. "Good-bye, Trunks."

            She stepped through the abyss and it winked shut behind her. "Moma!!!" Adonai wailed in his father's arms. Tears coursed down both their faces. Trunks clenched his teeth and wiped his face with his free hand. He looked down at the two-year-old in wonder. His son... he had a son.

            Bulma's face twitched. Her stomach turned. She broke out in a sweat. Her knees gave out and she collapsed into the chair Roland had wisely positioned under her.

            "Wha.. wha.. wha.. how.. when..?" she stuttered. "I'm a... GRANDMOTHER!?"

            Bra blinked at her brother then looked to her husband and sighed. Roland nodded. "Well, I guess it's safe to tell you my news now, Mom."

            Bulma turned her body to her, but kept her eyes on Adonai. "What news...?"

            Bra laughed a little. "Well, Marron and Goten have a son already and Pan and Rojan are expecting a baby in October so I was going to tell you you're going to be a grandmother!" Bra touched her stomach and smiled.

            Bulma fell out of her chair.

            There was a new gleam to Trunks's eyes that warmed his sister's heart. He couldn't take his own eyes off the still crying toddler. He squatted down, picked him up and held him to his shoulder. Softly shushing him, the new father walked away. He bounced Adonai lightly, trying to soothe him, but the poor boy continued to wail. Trunks kissed the top of his head and breathed in his scent. He took the baby upstairs. Bra clapped her hands together and followed him, already shooting off her ideas for a new nursery. 

            Vegeta entered the living room. His wife was still on the floor. The sound of a wailing two-year old reached his extra-sensitive ears. 

            "What the hell is going on?" He raised an eye-brow. "What are doing, Woman? Get off the floor."

           Bulma pulled herself up and shook her head. She couldn't blink as she stared at the Prince. Then she started to laugh. Vegeta looked at his reflection in Roland's bug-like sunglasses. His son-in-law shrugged and smirked awkwardly. 

            "Oh! ha ha ha ha!!!" Bulma held her sides and pointed at him, then at herself, mouthing something she couldn't get out past her laughter. "Grampa Vegeta!!! Ha ha ha ha!!! Oh, ha. Eee hee hee hee!"

            "What?!" Vegeta's eyes bulged. "Bra?"

            "Hee hee, well, yeah, her too! Oh my god ha! I'm gonna wet myself! Ha ha ha!"

            "She's taking it well, non?" Roland said under his breath as a large drop of perspiration appeared above his head.

*

            A week later, Adonai was still crying. When he wasn't crying, he was eating or sleeping, and he didn't do much of either. Trunks didn't look better than he had a week ago, but different. The bags under his eyes were from lack of sleep rather than alcoholism. The Briefs / Oujisama / Du Nord household pulled together to help him with the baby, but nothing seemed to make Adonai happy. Vegeta had been avoiding the mess since his arrival, but enough was enough.

            In the dining room Trunks watched Adonai sob quietly over his cereal, hiccuping lightly. He sighed, glad for the break in the usual scream of his crying. Vegeta was passing through, but purposefully entered the room and glared at the baby. 

            "You," he barked. "Stop it." 

            Trunks looked up. He knew his father wasn't talking to him. He bristled and stood. Adonai's eyes quivered. "Come on, Dad. He was just starting to calm down." He motioned to the baby who began to bawl again.

            Vegeta ignored him and stared at Adonai. "Stop it!" He walked over and glared down at him. "Do you have any idea who you are?"

            Adonai shook his head and rubbed his eyes. Trunks was ready to intervene, but his father was only talking, so far.

            "You are not only the heir to this Corporation but you are a Prince. Did you know that? At this point you have done nothing to show me you are worthy of either title. Now, shut up."

            To Trunks's surprise, his son did just that. 

            Vegeta cracked a fraction of a smile. "Good." He picked him up. "How old is the boy?"

            Trunks thought for a second. "Well, he should be almost two, but he looks older."

            "Old enough. He CAN walk, can't he?"

            "What are you gonna do, Dad?" he asked anxiously.

            Vegeta only smirked. He held Adonai out at arm's length and growled in a guttural language. The boy blinked at his grandfather. Vegeta laughed and walked away with him.

            "Dad," Trunks watched them leave, dumbly. "Dad, what did you say? Dad! You KNOW I don't know Saiyan!" He took off after them when he saw Vegeta open the door to the gravity room. "DAD!?!"

*

- Capsule Corp: Friday, May 2nd, six years later. 6:29 PM -

            The vid window in the gravity room popped on. Bra's face appeared ten times its normal size. "Hey, guys. Dinner!" The screen popped back off. She didn't wait for a response she knew she wouldn't get. They'd come. 

            "Too hungry to take it, Adonai?"

            "Far from it, Grandfather."

            They went a few more rounds before breaking for dinner.

            There were three, young children playing in the yard to the south of the chamber.  
          "Hey, Ado!" one of the boys called to the young Prince as he emerged. He rolled his eyes at Vegeta who went into the house without him. "Catch!" 

            Adonai caught the baseball and looked at it.

            The aqua-haired girl of the group rolled her eyes as well. She was about six, but she put her hands on her hips in a very mature fashion and glared at her cousin. "Ado, throw it back, dummy!"

            "I understand baseball, Korosette," he growled back and wound up. "Catch, Okano!" he called to the blue-haired boy who had thrown it him. The ball hurtled toward the six-year old with the pale, purple star on his head. Okano smiled gratefully and caught the 200 mile-per-hour fast ball without difficulty. 

            "Thanks! Hey, Ado, why don't you come play with us?"

            "Yeah, Ado," Okano's cousin, Kashtan added. "With four of us we could play a better game." The black-haired seven-year-old smiled much like his younger cousin. 

            "It's time for dinner, Korosette," he said, ignoring the other boys. He didn't like her hanging out with Kakarott's brood, but there wasn't much he could do about it. He sneered at them and went inside.

            "Boy, does he ever smile?" Kashtan asked.

            "Nope. He's such a jerk," Korosette complained as she walked toward the house with a pout. 

            "He's not really a jerk. He just likes to be one," Okano rationalized. Both boys waved good-bye and flew off to their own dinners.

-*-

            Soma clipped the miniature tree carefully. Her mother had given it to her when she was a baby and she had worked at keeping it the same size for many of her eight years. Satisfied with her work, she smiled and turned to another hobby. She stood straight and walked slowly out of the halls. Her tune started softly. When she reached her favorite spot, she stopped and belted out beautiful songs in strange tongues. She did this until she tripped over a lyric. Soma pouted and started over again from the beginning. 

            The Palace Between The Worlds was a very serene place. Soma sat on a wooden bridge over a crystal clear stream in the court yard as she worked. Birds chirping in the trees and the babbling of the brook were the only sounds that accompanied her melodies. 

            "Soma! I'm home!" a voice called from the halls.

            "Moma!" The little girl left off and ran into the palace. Akiko smiled as she flew into her arms. 

            "Lunch?" she asked. Soma nodded. The Goddess took her daughter to the kitchen to make her a meal. 

            When the girl had finished, Akiko put her official over-robes back on and prepared to go back to work. Soma looked up at her and opened her mouth to say good-bye, but suddenly pouted.

            "What's wrong, Soma-sweet?" 

            "Moma, I have a bad feeling. Don't go."

            Akiko's worry faded. Her daughter had pleaded with her on more than one occasion to forgo work in favor of playing with her all afternoon. "I'm sure everything's just fine." She bent and kissed her on the head. "Be good." Akiko unsheathed the magical katana. Soma still looked worried. "If it makes you feel better, I'll allow you to watch me, even though I know you'll do it anyway."

            Soma looked shocked. Her mother smiled, telling her that she wasn't in trouble for sneaking peeks into other dimensions. Once she was out of sight, Soma ran to the mirror. She watched as it focused in on Akiko's destination.

-*-

            She was tailing a rip in the walls of reality; the boundary between one dimension and another. Her senses knew where to find it. All she had to do was hop into the dimension, fix the tear and hop back out after another problem. The portal closed behind her and she gasped at her surroundings. The room was a little different, as it should have been. It couldn't be the same place, this WAS a different dimension, but it was still unsettling. She felt out for the anomaly as fast as she could. 

            "There, got it!" she said out loud and pulled her sword-key back out again. "Now get me out of here!"

            "Not so fast. Drop the weapon," an eerily familiar voice from behind ordered her. 

            She spun and came face to face with whom she feared would be in this building. The Trunks of this dimension looked stronger than the one she had loved. His hair was longer and he wore casual clothes. "It.. it's not a weapon," she stammered.

            "Oh no?" Trunks pulled a sizable sword out of a sheath on his back and swung it deftly. "Then you wouldn't mind handing it over."

            "I'm afraid I can't do that."

            "Then I'm afraid you're going to have to defend yourself." He pointed it at her.

            "You don't understand. It's an inter-dimesional key.."

            Trunks's eyes widened. "Well, that'd be a nice addition to my collection!"

            "What!? I'm not going to give it to you!"

            "You've intruded into my house. I think I can take whatever I want." He darted in and grabbed her wrist. Akiko hadn't fought in over eight years, and she discovered that she had given up her powers when she became a Goddess. With just a few movements, Trunks had the katana. 

            "NO! Trunks, give it back!"

            He played keep-away with it. "What? How do you know my name?"

            She cringed. "It's a long story. I know another one of you, actually two of you.."

            He looked at her as if she were crazy, but could feel the odd, magical power the sword gave off. He put two and two together. "From other dimensions..." he regarded the silver key with awe as an idea began to form in his head. 

            Akiko bit her lip. "What's he up to?' He made to swing the blade and she cried out. "No! Don't!" The Goddess reached out and her fingers grazed the metal before it completed its revolution. In a whoosh of light and sound, the portal opened and Trunks disappeared into it. 

-*-

            It was early afternoon and everyone was either at work, school or out training. The living room was empty. The portal slammed shut behind him and for a moment, Trunks thought he might have imagined the last minute. The position of the furniture, profusion of photographs on the wall and the sword in his hand convinced him otherwise. 

            "Oh boy."

            Trunks listened carefully and discovered that no one was home. He looked at the sword with apprehension. He decided to be careful with it until he could figure out how to use it. Walking around, Trunks noticed that the layout was similar to his own home. The photographs on the wall lured him. He was surprised to see his own face smiling back surrounded by his mother and father, two other pale, aqua-haired girls who must have been mother and daughter, a tall man with sunglasses and a young boy with a star on his head who's pout was a duplicate of Vegeta's. 

            "Oh my god.." He remembered the Goddess. She had a mark just like that.

            '...It's a long story. I know another one of you...'

            "You sure do..." Trunks tried not to panic. The sword made him uncomfortable. He walked to the room where he kept his extensive sword collection in his own dimension. The sight of the figurines made him blush. On shelves in the large gallery were hundreds of vintage toys. He shrugged his shoulders. 

            A sound made him quicken his pace. Someone was home. He ran back into the room with all the pictures. The him of this dimension wore his hair quite short. Trunks grimaced, but was at a loss for any other plan. He ran up the stairs to his room. 

            Fortunately it WAS his room. He had just found a good hiding place and was about to deposit his misappropriated weapon when the door swung open. Trunks spun and came face to face with…

            …Trunks. The CEO's jaw dropped. His shock dissolved into anger as he growled and took a fighting stance. "What the hell's going on?"

            His counterpart gave him a sheepish smile and held the sword behind his back. "Well, it's kind of a long story. You see, I'm you, but I've met you before. You were just a baby at the time..."

            "Bullshit," the short-haired Trunks snarled.

            He knew that he wasn't going to easily convince himself. "Look, I met this Goddess," he pulled the sword out from behind him.

            Trunks bristled as he recognized the key. "You'd better give that to me right now." He took a step foreword.

            "I don't think that's a good idea."

            "I doubt very highly that Akiko just GAVE that to you."

            "Well, no. I took it, but.."

            He didn't let himself finish. Trunks charged him and tried to wrestle the katana from his grip. The scuffle was brief, as the sword made a revolution and cut open a portal. Short-haired Trunks lost his footing . His duplicate, still clutching the sword, reached out to grab him, but his fingers just grazed his tie. Trunks fell through and it winked shut. 

            Long-haired Trunks blinked dumbly at the katana. He snapped out of it and quickly stashed the key before it could zap anyone else into another dimension. He sat down on the bed and held his head, trying to think of what to do.

            "Trunks, you home?" a female voice called from the stairs.

           "Uh.. yeah, I guess so!" he replied, got up and locked the door. There was a short pause that made him sweat a little.

            "You want lunch?"

            "Uh.. No, thank you."

            Another pause. "Ok." Bra shrugged and climbed back down stairs.  

-*-

            Akiko fell to her knees and concentrated. 

            "Soma!?"

            The little girl had seen her mother lose the sword. She answered instantly.

            "Moma!"

            "Don't panic. I need your help. Look to your brother's dimension."

            She sniffled, but complied. In the magic mirror, she witnessed her father fight the other Trunks. 

            "Is he there?"

            "Ye.. ye.. yes! OH!"

            "What is it!?"

            "Father!"

            Trunks tumbled through the portal into a darkened and empty room. He got to his feet and cursed. 

            "What!? Soma, what's happened!?"

            "Father's gone! Where'd he go!?"  
            Akiko was speechless. "Are you sure it was your father?" 

            "Yes! Where did he go!?"

            Akiko hung her head. "If I was able to send the other him to Etibi, then he should be here.." Akiko felt out and sure enough, he was close. "Did he have the key!?"

            "The Mirai me has it," Trunks grumbled as came down the stairs into the living room. 

            "Mirai?"

            "Long story." He was very displeased with his situation. "So I guess we're stuck, huh, Akiko?"

            "Yes, we're trapped."

            "Moma, what are you going to do!?"

            "There's nothing I CAN do at the moment. We must do something in less than 24 hours. If I am separated from the key or the palace for that long, my powers will dissipate." She could hear her daughter crying softly. She was trying to hide it. "Please, Sweetheart. You have to be strong for your Moma. We'll be all right."

            "...ok..."

            "Soma?" Trunks's expression changed. His daughter was tied up in this, too? He took a step towards his estranged love. She looked strong enough. Her alabaster face was a porcelain mask of concentration. 

            She pouted at him. "Soma?"

            "Uh-huh?"

            "The key is in Etibi. You have to contact your brother."

            Trunks's eyes widened.

            "Ok," she hiccupped. 

            "Tell him what has happened."

            "Then what?"

            "I don't know. I'll contact you in an hour with a plan. My energy is leaving me already."

            "Moma!"

            "Yes, Sweetheart?"

            "I love you..."

            Akiko smiled sadly. "I love you too."

            Trunks had heard only Akiko's words, but could gather what was going on. He was about to tell Akiko to tell Soma he loved her too, when Akiko stood. The connection was broken. He sighed, but something caught his attention.

            "Someone's here." He gritted his teeth. 

            Akiko smoothed her robes. "Who is it?" she asked, her voice still held a slight, ethereal echo. Before he could answer, his mother came around the corner into the living room. 

            "Oh, Trunks, there you are." She stopped and regarded Akiko with an amount of awe. "Who's this?" She looked several years younger than her Etibi counterpart. Her smile faded and her face twisted as she noticed something strange about her 'son'. "What's going on, what did you do to your hair?"

            "Bulma," Akiko put her hands up in a gentle gesture. "Please stay calm. There is much we must explain..."

           Her expression changed from one of confusion to one of mixed anger and fear. She knew something was very wrong. She turned her head, but kept her eyes on the newcomers. "Zarbon!!"

            A man with shoulder length, green hair and light blue skin rushed into the room almost immediately. He stood between them. "What's wrong, Bulma?" he asked in a strange accent.

            Trunks raised his eyebrows. Akiko opened her mouth to explain, but was cut off as another confused Capsule household member entered the scene. "What's all the yelling about, Mom?" This woman didn't look like any daughter of Bulma's. Her hair was long and brown, her eyes were dark. She scrunched her nose at Trunks. "What have you done to your hair?"

            "Is anyone else going to run in here and interrupt!?!" Trunks was exasperated. They were a little shocked at his outburst, but shook their heads no. "Good. Akiko, explain away." He sat down on the arm of a chair and folded his arms in a very Vegeta-like fashion which made Bulma shudder. 

            Akiko scowled at him as much as a Goddess could scowl and began the story at last.

*

            "So.. Trunks is.." the young woman began to understand the strange details.

            "..Mirai Trunks, for the sake of clarification," Akiko reminded her.

            "Whatever. MIRAI Trunks is in Chibi Trunks's dimension, and Chibi Trunks is.." she rolled her head in his direction. Trunks winced every time she said the belittling word.

            Akiko nodded. 

            "And at this point," Zarbon spoke up. "There's nothing to be done about it."

            Another nod. Suddenly she fell to her knees. "It's been an hour!" She shut her eyes, put her hands together as if to pray and called to her daughter. Trunks waved to the other three to tell them that she was all right. 

            "Soma!"

            "Moma, I can't reach him! He can't hear me, what do I do?"

            "Keep trying."

            Trunks pursed his lips, realizing that the news was bad.

            "But what if I.. and.. any.."

            "Soma, I can barely hear you. Do your best, Sweetheart. I'll try to talk to you again in three hours, but if four hours go by and you don't hear from me, go to him, do you understand?"

            Trunks stood up and balled his fists. His stomach turned with worry for the daughter he had only seen once. 

            "Go to him!?"

            "Yes, Go through the mirror. You can do it, but you won't be able to get back."

            "No!!"

            "Yes, Soma-sweet, do it! Please obey me!" She could hear her weep. "Baby, don't cry. You'll be with your family."

            "..Ok.."

            "Soma, I love you. Everything's going to be all right."

            "Don't lie, Moma."

            "No, Soma. I'm being hopeful."

            "I love you, Moma."

            "Love you too. Good luck, my daughter." Akiko lifted her head and opened her eyes. They glittered, but as she was a celestial being, the tears wouldn't come. Bulma leaned against Zarbon.

            "Three hours," Trunks sighed.

            "Your daughter.. can she fix things if she finds her brother?" the young woman was concerned.

            "To be perfectly honest? I don't think so." Akiko gracefully got to her feet. 

            The woman looked lost. She stared at the ground and hugged herself.

            Akiko observed the strange scene for a beat before blushing. "In all the commotion, I've neglected to exchange introductions!" The others seemed to be relieved at her attempt to alleviate the seriousness of the situation. "I am Akiko, Goddess of All Dimensions... at least, for the next few hours."

            "Will you die without the key?" Bulma asked.

            She gave her a small, appreciative smile. "No. I'll just revert to my mortality."

            "Well, you apparently know me," Bulma began. "This is Zarbon," she watched Trunks's reaction carefully. He stared at the tall alien, trying to remember where he'd heard his name before. "And this is Niwatori."

            The pretty, young woman lifted her chin up. "Her daughter-in-law," she added and examined Trunks's reaction as well. 

            He blinked at her and laughed nervously. "Hi, guess you know me, then."

            Akiko's face registered no shock. She turned to Bulma. "I'm sorry to have brought this crisis to you, but I'm going to have to ask you for a favor. In order to ensure a smooth resolution, I would like to request that we be allowed to stay here at Capsule." 

            Akiko's odd, Goddess-speak left the older woman baffled for a moment, but she shook her head to clear it and smiled weakly. "Of course you can stay here… especially if it means getting Trunks back."

            "Thank you." Akiko bowed. Without looking to Trunks, she righted again. "Do you have a guest room I might use? I need some time alone." The Goddess looked a little weary. 

            "Sure," Niwatori stood up and scratched her head. "I'll show you."

            As they walked away, Trunks called out to her. "Akiko, find me in three hours?"

            She turned, met his eyes for a second and nodded without breaking the doll-like expression she had worn since she had arrived. 

            The guest room door slid open under Tori's touch. "Here ya go." She watched the Goddess glide in. Niwatori wasn't sure if she floated or walked, her feet were covered by her long robes. "I have to tell you that I'm very upset about this, but it hasn't sunken in yet. I'll get mad at you later."

            "You may. This is mostly my fault."

            "Mostly!? It was your key or whatever that made him disappear!" she wept out of frustration and anger rather than sadness. 

            "I'm sorry," she monotoned, her face as still as ever. 

            "What the hell is wrong with you!? You may never see your daughter again, doesn't that bother you in the least!? What are you!?"

            "I'm sorry. I am a Goddess. I cannot express my fear, my sorrow or my anger, Niwatori. Soon, I will be mortal once again, and you will know my heart." Her eyes flashed a bit of the sadness she spoke of before she turned her back to her. Niwatori fumed and left the room. The door swished shut and Akiko collapsed to the floor. All she wanted to do was cry long and hard, but she'd have to wait in agony for hours before she could release her pain.

-*- 

            Mirai Trunks made a face as he stared into the mirror. The only sharp tool in the room was his trusty sword. He sighed and removed it from its sheath. "Gotta do what ya gotta do..." he muttered and sliced through his lavender locks. He found a button down shirt, slacks and shoes in the closet and changed out of his Capsule jacket and casual clothes. As he awkwardly threaded the Capsule tie around his neck he frowned at his reflection. He matched his Chibi self perfectly. "No need to shock these people." He guessed, or hoped that he and Chibi Trunks had swapped place. He wondered what his mother thought of Chibi Trunks. She was probably worried sick. He breathed deeply before opening the door and venturing out into the house.

            Bra and Roland had gone back to work. The house was still. Mirai Trunks studied the photographs on the walls in the living room. He stared at a shot of two children. one was smiling and happy, one was frowning. They looked exactly like his parents. Through the photographs, he gathered that he had a sister, and the girl was her and the tall man's child. The boy was his; the Goddess's son. "Ah, great," he sighed and blew the short, stray hairs he had just cut out of his face. They fell back down in the same position. Suddenly, the quiet of the room was disturbed as the sound of singing entered his earshot. 'Well,' he thought, 'I have to deal with it sometime.'

            "A-do's a stinky-head, nanny nanny poo poo!" a girl with aqua hair skipped in to the room, laughing.

            "Shut the hell up, Korosette," he hissed before he saw Trunks. 

            The girl gasped as she saw him and pointed at Adonai. "Uncle Trunks, Ado's cursing at me in Saiyan again!"

            He tried not to look completely amazed. "Uh…" 'Parenting!' he thought, 'shhhit, what do I do?!' "..You shouldn't say that?" he attempted. 

            They looked at him funny for a second before Koro stuck out her tongue at her cousin behind Trunks's back. Ado glared at her, but did nothing to retaliate. He passed by the bewildered Mirai, mumbling in a guttural language on his way to the gravity chamber. He dumped his books down and gave him an inquisitive look. Ado sniffed once and continued on his way.

            As the door shut behind him, Trunks leaned up against the wall and sighed. "THIS is my family?!"

**End Chapter Thirteen**


	15. Fourteen

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Chapter Fourteen**

            Three hours later, Akiko knelt in the living room. Trunks stood with his arms crossed and watched her. 

            "Soma? Can you hear me?"

            He held his breath.

            "Soma..." Akiko squeezed her eyes shut. "Please, can you hear me?"

            Bulma bit her lip and looked up to Zarbon. It was clear that the Goddess was unable to send her thoughts to her daughter. "I can't hear you if you are trying to reply. Do as I've said. Go to your brother and live with his family." She hung her head. 

            "I'm so sorry," Bulma whispered. 

            "Hello, earth to Bulma, your son's been trapped in another dimension! Why are you feeling sorry for the responsible party?!" Niwatori scowled.

            Bulma looked hurt. Tori didn't know what to say, her anger was too great, so she left the room in a huff. 

           "She's right and I am sorry," Akiko stood. "I wish there was something I could do. I wish my powers weren't fading. This is so frustrating!" 

            Zarbon's eyes lit up. "Wish?" he began to smile. He poked Bulma in the side. "Did someone say 'wish'!?"

            "Wish..?" She gave him a strange look, but soon got the hint. "WISH!"

            Trunks and Akiko exchanged befuddled glances. 

            "Don't you get it!? We'll wish Trunks back!"

            Niwatori ran back into the room. "Oh my god, why didn't we think of that from the freaking get-go!?!"

            "You guys have...?"

            "You mean in this dimension there are..?"

            "DRAGON BALLS!!!"

-*-

            As evening descended on the Western Capitol, Adonai finally left the gravity chamber. His grandfather put his hand on his head and pushed him out the door. Although, this would seem like a mean gesture to the uninformed onlooker, as the elder did this, he tousled the young Prince's hair. Ado wore a satisfied grin behind his back and dragged himself to bed. Vegeta watched him go, then headed up to bed himself. 

            Ado walked past his father's room and slowed his pace. He masked his ki and listened carefully. There was a distinct sound of someone pacing inside. Something was up, but he was too tired to find out what it was. 

            He flopped down on his bed at last and fell asleep instantly. 

            As the boy snored lightly he began to toss and turn. "What...?" he murmured and buried his head in the covers. "Go away..!" He paused for a moment and the dream seemed to have passed. He sat bolt upright suddenly and cried out. "What!?" His eyes popped open and he looked around the room feverishly for the voice: the wispy voice that called his name. "Who's there!?" The room was dead silent. He growled and flopped back down. He'd never had a nightmare a day in his life. Why the hell was he having one now!?

-*-

            Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

            "We can WISH Trunks back!" Niwatori jumped up and down with joy. 

            Akiko's face was stern. "This is good news, but I'm afraid it isn't that easy. You cannot wish him here."

            "What do you mean, we can't!? Do you have any idea what we're talking about? We have Dragonballs. We can wish my Trunks back here and send this guy home!" Tori yelled at her, smiling from ear to ear. She thought she was right and was all too happy to rub it in.

            Akiko was the picture of patience. "Shenlong is a magical creature and being so he cannot defy the laws of magic. I'm sure you know that he cannot bring a person who has been deceased for more than a year back from the other side." She looked to Bulma who nodded solemnly. "To bring Trunks here would create a paradox because he is technically already here." Akiko motioned to Chibi Trunks. 

            "But we were together back home.. er.. in Etibi," Trunks pointed out.

            "Yes, the key does not have a conscious. It is the wielder's responsibility to adhere to the laws. If I had the key, I could make things right."

            "So, a paradox is bad," Zarbon tried to understand what was being said.

            "In a word, yes. It is my job to fix such disturbances. They add up over time and cause rifts. Dimensions can collide or be terminated because of problems like those."

            "Sounds bad," he tried to sound like he DID understand.

            "So what the hell can we do!?!" Tori became angry again.

            "We must wish Soma and Adonai here."

            "What!?" She took a few steps towards the Goddess. "You're joking!"

            "No, they will bring the key to me. No matter if I am empowered or not, I will be able to control it. I will go back to Etibi, get Mirai Trunks, bring him back here, and take Adonai, Soma and Chibi Trunks back where they belong."

            She didn't like it, but Niwatori was satisfied with this answer for the mean time.

            "Well, let's get on it!" Zarbon looked to his mate.

            "I'll go get the Dragon Radar and we'll head out immediately."

            "I must remain here in case something happens." Akiko announced. Trunks narrowed his eyes and looked away from her. 

            "I guess I'll stay too. Just in case."

            Niwatori looked from him to the stark, white-skinned Goddess. "I'm staying too. To hold down the fort."

            "Suit yourself!" Bulma smiled and ran off to get the device with which she could locate the fabled Dragon Balls.

-*-

            Bra put Korosette to bed and strolled down the hall. She smiled to herself and hummed lightly. She stopped at her brother's suite and made a face.

            Trunks heard the knocking at his door and jumped. "Who is it?"

            "It's me, Bra. Can I come in?"

            He went to the door, swallowed hard and opened it. He motioned her in. She sat in a comfy chair and looked up at her brother. "What's up?" she smiled strangely.

            "Nothing," he replied, a little too innocently.

            "Come on, Trunks. Spill. There's something going on and I want to know what it is."

            He shrugged his shoulders and tried hard not to stare at her. He thought that meeting his father all those years ago had been difficult, but this was agonizing. And once again, he couldn't tell who he really was. 

            She squinted at him and made a cute face. "I'll get it out of you, Bro. You can't hide whatever it is for long!" Bra got up, shook her finger at him and left him dazed. "Good night!" The door slid shut and Trunks sighed deeply. 

-*-

            Trunks and Niwatori went to sleep. Akiko stood and looked out at the stars. There was no moon here either, which made sense, since this was a Mirai dimension. She walked to a book shelf and pulled a volume out. "Journey To Topaz," she read the title and standing, proceeded to read it and several other books.

*

            When morning came, Trunks rose first and found her still standing, turning the pages of a novel; a pile of books at her feet.

            "You haven't been up long have you?" he asked groggily.

            "Up?" she asked innocently. "I do not sleep."

            He was taken aback by this and pouted a bit. "Do you eat?"

            She shook her head.

            "..Breathe?"

            Again the Goddess told him no. 

            "That's pretty creepy, Akiko."

            She shrugged and turned away from him. 

            "She doesn't breathe?" Niwatori appeared holding a cup of tea.

            "Apparently not." Trunks shivered. He got an evil gleam in his eye. "So, you're my wife in this dimension, huh?"

            Tori choked on a sip of tea. Akiko closed her eyes, but stood where she was. Trunks seemed disappointed that he couldn't get a rise out of her. He shrugged and rolled his eyes. Tori was baffled. "This is too weird." She sat down and looked to the blue-haired superior being. "Why are there two Trunks's?"

            "There are a lot more than two. Thousands in fact."

            "Really?" 

            Trunks raised an eye brow and put on a self-satisfied smirk.

            She nodded. "There are also many Bulmas and Zarbons, but not all of them are together. In Etibi, Zarbon was killed long ago at the hands of Vegeta."

            Trunks whirled. "THAT'S where I know his name from! He was a Freeza flunky!" He smiled, pleased he could place the name. Tori looked shocked. His smile fell. "What the hell is HE doing with my mother!?!?"

            "Trunks, things have progressed differently here. Vegeta died when you were a baby. She has been alone for many years."

            "Besides, she loves him!" Tori was on Akiko's side for once. 

            He folded his arms and pouted, but dropped it. 

            "How many me's are there?" Tori inquired.

            Akiko glided forward. "Give me your hand." She did so, reluctantly, and Akiko closed her eyes. "Four."

            "Only four?" She looked skeptical.

            "And not all of them are with Trunks. There are only one of me, Adonai and Soma. At least, so far."

            "So far?" Trunks chuckled a bit. 

            "Yes, so far," she shot back in her twinkling monotone. Suddenly, Akiko shut her eyes and lowered her head. Her face scrunched up a tiny bit. She glided slowly to a chair and seated herself.

            Tori shook herself out of her thoughts. She noticed that the Goddess wasn't looking well. "What's wrong?" 

            "There are only a few more hours remaining until I revert."

            Akiko was taller than she, but, seated, Tori could look down on her. The young woman stared at her. She didn't want to feel sorry for Akiko, but she looked pitiful. "Why don't you go back up to the guest room and lie down, Akiko."

            She nodded. "That's probably a good idea. I don't know what this transition is going to be like." She struggled a bit to stand and for the first time Tori saw that she did in fact have feet; bare, white, perfectly arched feet. The dress dropped down over them and she glided up the stairs. 

-*-

            Adonai finished his morning routine and bowed to Vegeta. 

            "That was pathetic."

            "I apologize, Grandfather."

            "You haven't slept. You're slow to react." He caught the boy off guard and swept his feet out from under him. Adonai landed with a thud and vowed to work ten times harder that day to make up for the morning.

-*-

            Akiko lay down on the bed and curled up in the fetal position. Her body was racked with spasms as her muscles re-activated. Her vocal chords seized up as they converted and her cries hissed out in a series of unholy shrieks. As her blood flowed back into her veins, the pain was too great and she lost consciousness. 

*

            Trunks looked up to the clock. It was four thirty. It was past the time he had arrived in this dimension yesterday. He found himself getting nervous. He stood and paced to the sliding glass doors. 

            "Trunks," Niwatori came up behind him. "What's it like in your world? You… Sorry. He told me a little bit about his trip to the past and his father, but I'm sure a lot has happened since then."

            He turned, laughed and smiled. "Yeah, a whole lot…" She had spoken up at the right time. He needed to think about something else and story telling would sufficiently distract him.

*

            Akiko woke as night was falling. She gasped involuntarily and stared at the ceiling. She listened to her breathing for a few minutes before trying to move. Everything hurt at first, as if all her limbs had fallen asleep. She rubbed her face and coughed, clearing her throat. "Unnn.." she moaned and stood slowly. She sighed as she ran her hands over her upper arms. Her muscle tone was pitiful. Passing by a mirror, she saw her reflection. The robes and haircut looked strange with her rejuvenated skin-color. She scratched her side and winced uncomfortably. Surprise dawned on her face and she tore at her gown. she removed the outer layers and sashes until only the under dress remained. She grasped the lower back and ripped a small hole. Her furry, blue tail snaked its way out of this and wrapped around her. She began to cry and hugged the appendage tightly. 

*

            "That's so strange..." Niwatori marveled at Trunks's stories. She looked past him and saw Akiko come around the corner. 

            Trunks turned and stared. "Akiko, are you ok?"

            She smiled appreciatively, but was obviously embarrassed by her appearance. "I guess. I'm breathing now!"

            He laughed a little before remembering their history.

            "Niwatori?" she asked politely. "Would you happen to have something I could wear? I feel kinda silly..."

            Tori was surprised to hear her real voice and see her smile. She was about to show her where to find some clothes when she was surprised by yet another one of her features. "You have a... a..." She pointed and her eyes bulged at the tail.

            Akiko smiled wider. "Yup. It's back!"

            "So you had to remove it when you became a Goddess?" Trunks asked.

            She nodded. "Soma and Adonai's were removed magically as soon as they were born."

            "Akiko, do you mind if I ask why this was necessary?" He wasn't happy with her having made such a decision.

            "I didn't have a choice. The palace was lit by a light six times more powerful than pure moonlight."

            "Ah…" He pouted, having nothing else to fuel his anger.

            Tori didn't seem to pick up on their conversation. She continued to stammer at the Blue-Haired Saiyan.

-*-

            Adonai's dreams the next night were too vivid and surreal. He furrowed his brows in frustration. Slowly, something was forcing him awake. 

            "Adonai..."

            "Nnnng..."

            "Adonai..? Adonai!"

            "Wha...?" he rolled over and buried his head under his pillow. 

            "Adonai, please... Can you hear me?"

            He began to snore again.

            "ADONAI!!"

            "Huh, whaddaya want..?" he grumbled, but was sufficiently startled that he woke up. His head was still under the pillow.

            "Adonai, can you hear me, please, Adonai!?"

            He realized at last that he was awake and the voice wasn't going away.

            "Who's there!?" he barked.

            "Adonai…"

            He leapt out of bed and prepared to fight, but feeling no presence in the room, began to panic. The breeze picked up a tapestry on the wall. He spun to confront it and sighed, relieved. His already spiky hair began to raise as he noticed a faint light out of the corner of his eye. Turning slowly, he spied the illuminated figure of a girl standing in the window. Her kimono was blue, her hair was pink and there was a star just like his in the middle of her forehead. Having never been confronted by the supernatural, he did not fully understand what he saw. She was sort of see-through and still beckoning to him, although he stood in plain sight of her. He knew it wasn't real and that she looked somehow familiar, but he had no idea why. This combination added up to a pile of terror.

            Mirai Trunks woke to the sounds of a child screaming and ran out into the hallway. Ado ran out of his room and almost slammed into him.

            "THERE'S A GHOST IN MY ROOM!!" he cried.

            "What?" Mirai Trunks was alarmed that this intense little boy was so frightened. He burst into his room and slapped on the lights. "Looks like the coast is clear." He scratched his head. 

            Ado inched around him and staggered in. "But.. she was right there.." he pointed to the window.

            "Probably just the drapes?"

            "No. It was a girl. She was calling my name..." Ado began to insist, but stopped. This just added to the weirdness. 'First father seems a little off, then this ghost-Rasha shows up...'

            "Are you all right, Adonai?"

            "Mmm," he clamed up. "Must have been a dream."

            Within an hour of his falling back to sleep, the 'dream' returned to Adonai. 

            "Adonai, please, I'm scared. Can you hear me?"

            "Gnnn.. what?"

            "If you don't answer this time, I'm coming through."

            He bolted up. "What?! Who's saying that!?! Show yourself!" His fear ebbed as he became angry. 

            The room went quiet. Ado strained to hear, but his own breath and heartbeat were all that echoed in the dark. He sighed. "Maybe this IS a dream..." He stared at the open window and watched the drapes flutter for a while until his eyelids wouldn't stay open anymore. He yawned and laid back down to sleep. 

            Before his head hit the pillow, he was disturbed again by a strange sound, like an electrical appliance talking to birds. Ado turned his head slowly and saw a lavender glow begin to form where the girl had appeared before. A portal opened up in his bedroom. Too shocked to scream, Ado got out of bed and prepared to beat the hell out of whatever might emerge. The girl stepped gingerly through the oval of light. She saw him and smiled wide. "Adonai!" As her entire body entered the room, the portal slammed shut.

            Adonai turned pale. The Rasha girl stood her ground. She didn't glow. Her hair was long and in two braids. She stood straight and wore a look of pure innocence. Memories stirred in Adonai that hadn't entered his mind in six years. He reeled as he tried to make sense of what he'd witnessed. An image surfaced to help him understand. 

            He was playing by the stream with her. Somehow, they both fell in. His head went under the water. As he surfaced he gasped for breath and began wailing. Someone plucked him from the water, stripped him of his soaked garments and wrapped him in a soft, warm blanket. He was picked up and hugged. 

            The warmth flooded him now for an instant. He recalled only snippets of the memory; the feeling, the warmth. The bitter taste of abandonment forced all other details to remain locked deep inside his subconscious. "Who ARE you?" 

            The girl's smile faded. "You, you don't know me?" She looked like she was going to cry. "Adonai, it's me, you twin sister.."

            Her name bubbled up through the barrier and crested like a brick through a plate-glass window. "Soma..."

            She beamed, relieved, ran to him and hugged him, fiercely. Adonai peeled his sister off of him and stared at her. "What's going on? What are you doing here?"

            "Moma and Father are trapped in another dimension and the key is here, Moma told me to come to you because she's powerless and there's nothing she can do, so I went through the mirror and.."

            He shushed her and grabbed her shoulders. "Slow down. Where's Father?"

            She told him everything her mother had told her. Adonai was amazed, but it made sense. There was something not quite right about his father and this explained it. He took control of the situation. "I bet the sword is close to him. Come on."

            "What are you going to do, Adonai?"

            "I dunno. I'll think of something." He smirked reassuringly at her. She pouted but followed his lead. 

            They walked down the hall silently and entered Mirai Trunks's room. Ado waved for her to stay by the door and crept around until he found the gleaming object. Mirai Trunks's breath was rhythmic and deep. Ado put his hands around the hilt and it made his skin crawl. This thing's power was peculiar. He watched a distant light reflect off its shiny surface in the dark.

            "Adonai..." his sister begged him to return.

            He put his finger to his lips and started back to her. Just then, Mirai Trunks woke up. Ado froze in place and masked his ki even further. "Who's there!?" Trunks barked.

            "Shit," Ado hissed in Saiyan and ran for Soma. "Come on!"

            Mirai Trunks bolted out of bed and turned on a light. Ado growled and spun around as the man ran ahead of him blocked the door. "What are you doing?" He saw the sword and panicked. "Adonai, no!" He charged the boy.

            Ado gripped his sister to keep her in back of him, raised the katana high and brandished it to ward Mirai Trunks off. The portal opened and closed quicker than he could blink. A second passed before Mirai Trunks sat down, defeated, at the edge of his bed. His 'son' and the strange girl were gone. 

-*-

            Soma gawked at the darkness and clung to her brother. "Oh, Adonai, what have you done?" she whispered.

            "Whaddaya mean? I didn't DO anything!"

            "Yes you did! You've placed us in another dimension!"

            "What!?" He had thought that the lights had gone out, but now, as he felt out for the other Trunks's ki and found nothing, he knew she was right. There was no one in the entire building. As his eyes adjusted, he could see the window was in the same place, and the door, but there was no furniture in the room. "What the hell..?"

            She seemed to know what he was doing and sighed. "This is another dimension, Adonai. They're not here,"

            "Well, how do we get back!?" Adonai yelled at her.

            Soma scrunched her brows together and pouted. Her lower lip wriggled and her eyes filled with tears. Adonai's eyes grew wide. 'What is she doing!?' His sister began to whimper. "Now, stop. Hey, cut that out!" he yelled some more and she broke into a full wail. "Hey, stop it! Come on, I, I didn't mean to yell at you!"

            As he was still yelling, she sank to the ground and kept crying. Adonai growled and clenched his hands into fists. He was aggravated enough by the circumstance, but this drove him nuts! He stammered and waved his hands, trying to get her to stop crying. "Soma, come on… I'm... I'm..."

            She sniffed and looked up at him. 

            "I'm... sorry."

            Soma sniffed again and wiped her face.

            "Now tell me, what just happened and what do we do next?" he said as calmly as he could.

            "Well, we can't get back, because we can't control the key. It goes where it feels like, but always to a place the bearer can breathe in and stand in and always the same place, just a different dimension," she rambled

            "So," Ado slowly examined the sword. "If I move it around like I did before..."

            "It'll cut a new portal to a new world." Soma stood and watched the sword glisten in the dim light of dawn. 

            "So, we could end up where Father..," he paused a bit, "and Mother are."

            She nodded. "We could, eventually. There are millions of dimensions on Earth, Adonai."

            "Yeah, but how many of them have Capsule Corporations? You said they were at a Capsule, right?" he looked at her.

            "Oh yeah! So, if we hit a Capsule, they may be there. That narrows it down some. There are only thousands of different Capsule Corp. buildings." Soma stated innocently.

            "Thousands..?" Adonai asked weakly.

            "Mmhmm.. but only one with Moma in it!"

            Adonai looked surprised. He reached out finally and motioned to his sister. "Come on, let's get a move on."

            Soma smiled and got up. She took Ado's right hand and he carved a portal with his left.

            They stepped through into a lit bedroom and scared Trunks out of his mind. 

            "Excuse me, but, you wouldn't happen to be our father, would you?" Soma asked sweetly. He was shocked, but managed to shake his head 'no'. "Welp. One down."

            "Uh, Soma, maybe we should go outside and knock first." Ado offered as he ushered her out of the room.

-*-

            "What do you mean, he's gone!??!" Vegeta barked at Trunks.

            Bulma stared at him with her arms crossed. "Trunks, tell us. What happened?"

            "I'm so sorry, Mother. I should have told you from the beginning, but I didn't want to upset you. Now the boy could be anywhere.." he hung his head.

            Suddenly, Vegeta rushed forward, grabbed Trunks and slammed him up against the wall. "Who are you, and what have you done to my son?!"

            "Vegeta! What are you doing!? Put him down!"

            "Father, I AM your son.." Mirai Trunks choked out.

            "Bullshit! Trunks hasn't called me Father a day in his life!!"

            "Yes, I have, Father." Mirai Trunks fought back and broke Vegeta's hold on him. "It was a long time ago, but I HAVE called you that."

            Bulma cowered behind a sofa as the two men powered up. Vegeta seemed to remember something and stopped. "You..." He scrutinized the man before him. He was bigger built and tanner than his son. His eyes had something in them his son's did not, but it was familiar. "But how..? And where's Adonai!?" he growled.

            "Let me try to explain." 

            Bulma crept over the couch. "What's going on!?" she moaned. "Somebody please tell me!!"

            "I'm Mirai Trunks," he whispered. Bulma sat down and stared at him, speechless as he wove yesterday's story.

-*-

            Akiko stretched on the lawn the next day and grumbled to herself about her lack of muscle tone. She began her routine with tai-chi then worked up to fairly standard moves. She finished the warm-up in a half an hour and went to find Niwatori. 

            Trunks was telling her another story, and rushing through it. He wanted to hear her Buu story. He couldn't imagine how on Earth they could have defeated him without Goten, Vegeta and Goku. Akiko loomed in the corner of his vision and he leaned in more towards Niwatori.

            "Wow, that's really weird," she commented on Gohan's being married to Mr. Satan's daughter. 

            "Think that's weird..?" Akiko murmured.

            "What?"

            "Never mind. I came to ask you a favor."

*

            The G's felt great. Akiko pumped her elbow and pushed her body up and down. In just a few hours she could tell she was getting it back. It wouldn't be long before she was a fighter again. She felt like she could stay in there forever! Suddenly, the gravity dropped off and without its pull she was propelled into the air.

            "Woah! What the..?" She caught herself and righted. The door opened and Niwatori appeared. She looked a little cross. 

            "Hey, I said five hours. It's been six."

            Akiko lighted and grabbed a towel. "Sorry, guess I got carried away."

            Tori didn't reply. Akiko could feel her eyes bore through her as she passed. This woman was not happy with her and didn't feel like hiding it. 'Well, hostility should never go to waste!' "Hey, when you're done, wanna spar?"

            She blinked at the Blue-Haired Saiyan. Tori was just thinking about what it would be like to fight her. "How bout now?"

            "Sure," Akiko shrugged. "Let's go."

            Trunks came out of the house just as they were blasting off. He furrowed his brows and followed them at a slower pace.

            "Don't go easy on me just because I haven't done this in a while, Niwatori." Akiko landed and punched her left fist into her right palm. 

            "Oh, don't worry. I won't." She smirked and charged her.

            When Trunks came over the horizon the women were already deep into their so-called spar. Tori was relentless and Akiko was tiring quickly. She growled as she struggled to keep up with her. Trunks winced as he saw her take several hits. She used her tail to block one of Tori's lefts but missed her right. Akiko's jaw splintered under her fist and she tumbled backwards head over heels. Trunks gasped and flew to the scene. 

            Tori stood and smiled at the effect for a moment, but when Akiko didn't move, she too flew over. "Oh Kami, are you ok?"

            The younger woman sat up slowly, clutching her jaw. "Nnnnah aing ahhaiah..." she murmured through her hand. She reached out with the other hand and found something on the ground. She picked up two of her teeth and put them in her mouth. Tori stared at her in awe. She sucked the dirt off them and maneuvered them in place with her tongue.

            Trunks touched down behind her. "Akiko, what the hell do you think you're doing? You're not in shape enough yet to be fighting." 

            She closed her eyes tightly and massaged her jaw. It made interesting, stomach turning, crunching sounds as it was repaired. "Whatever," she mumbled and stood. She dusted herself off and glared at him. "I can obviously still take it."

            "That's beside the point. You're being stupid."

            "Oh, that's a good one." Akiko swished her tail in annoyance. 

            "What the... How... Huh?" Tori tried to ask Akiko how she had healed herself, but was ignored as the argument built.

            "So, I guess you DIDN'T age in the last nine years."

            "If you don't want me fighting, Trunks, don't piss me off."

            "Did I say that?"

            "You alluded to it."

            "I take it back!"

            "Good!"

            Before Tori could try to stop them, they'd come to blows. She watched, helplessly as they pummeled each other. 

            "What are you waiting for, Akiko, turn it on! Or can't you yet!?" Trunks was annoyed that she was holding back.

            "Oh, I can, you just wait!" Akiko blocked a kick and flew back. Both of them powered up to Super Saiyan. Tori wanted to do something to stop them. This fight was too serious. There was something between these two that she wasn't being let in on. She followed their movements as they darted around. Akiko was able to land hits, but Tori could tell Trunks was holding back. 

            Akiko panted and swung at Trunks again and again. She growled and kneed him in the stomach. He doubled and she raised her hands, clutched tightly together to croquet him into the ground. Her eyes widened and she grinned with satisfaction as they came down, but Trunks reacted faster than she expected and grabbed her hands. She pushed as hard as she could, but he held his position. Their eyes locked and both saw something else behind the aggression. Akiko dropped Super Saiyan and took off like a shot away from him. She wasn't about to let him see her cry.

            Trunks fell out as well and drifted down to the ground by Niwatori. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he apologized. "We're both just really worried about the kids."

            Tori stared at him. "The kids..? You mean...?"

            He sighed and nodded. "Our kids." He stepped into the air and headed back to Capsule. 

-*-

            Bulma looked a bit confused as Soma asked the same question she had asked hundreds of times already today. 

            "Have you seen a woman with blue hair who has a star like this?" She pointed to her forehead. The aqua-haired woman shook her head and Soma thanked her for her time. She looked to her brother. 

            "Next?" he asked and took her hand again. 

-*-

            A week later, Zarbon and Bulma returned with all seven Dragon Balls. They gathered in front of the house and summoned the Dragon. 

            "Shenlong, I Bulma Briefs call you forth!" The sky grew dark and he snaked up from the glowing orbs.

            "What is your wish?"

            She looked to Akiko as she spoke. "I wish for Soma and Adonai from the dimension of Etibi to be here in Kiaditu!" Akiko nodded and they waited.

            "I cannot grant your wish.."

            "What!?! What am I, jinxed!?!" Akiko screamed, frustrated. She ran to where Bulma stood and yelled at the Dragon. "Shenlong, why can you not grant this wish!?"

            "Because, Once-Goddess, your children are no longer in the dimension of Etibi."

            "WHAT!?!" Trunks couldn't believe it. 

            "Where are they!?!"

            "That is not within my jurisdiction. Do you have another wish?"

            "We can wish the key here!" Trunks shouted.

            Akiko clenched her fists. "If they're not in Etibi, they could only have left with the key's help. It's not there, is it, Shenlong?"

            "You try my patience, Once-Goddess. I am not an oracle."

            Akiko was mortified. "I'm sorry, Eternal Dragon. I have no other wish." She hung her head.

            "Wait!" Trunks stepped forward. He looked at Bulma and bit his lip. "I have a wish to make..."

            Everyone stared at him as he asked the Dragon for a special wish. It was the least he could do while they had the opportunity.

            "What happens now? How do we get Trunks back!?" Niwatori panicked. The wish was completed and Shenlong retracted into the balls which scattered once more.

            Akiko stared into the sky which was rapidly clearing. The blue shown through again and sunlight reflected off of her tear-stained face. "I guess we don't."

**End Chapter Fourteen**

**Disclaimer:**

Niwatori is owned by Kiadi. Used by permission.

**Journey To Topaz** by Yoshiko Uchida is a novel about the evacuation of Japanese Americans from the west coast after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.


	16. Fifteen

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Chapter Fifteen**

            Bra told her mother for the fifth time that afternoon that she appreciated the offer, but she didn't need any help. Bulma sighed and went back into the house. With the vice-president taking over for Trunks (whom employees were told was taking a medical leave of absence) she truly had nothing to do. 

            Vegeta and Mirai Trunks sparred all day with a vengeance; Vegeta to take out his worry about his son and grandson on Mirai, and Mirai to feed his guilt and be around the man he had barely gotten to know so many years ago. 

            Bulma sat down stiffly in a comfortable chair in the sun-room. A window was open and she could hear the faint chirping of birds and dull thuds which emanated from the nearby gravity chamber. She leaned over to get a magazine off the table next to her and her vertebrae cracked loudly. 

            "Ai! That hurt..." she moaned and rubbed the joint. Bulma frowned deeply. "Christ. I'm in here falling apart and he's out there kicking the shit out of someone," she complained about her mate's superior physical constitution. She smoothed her greying hair back and opened the magazine. Within a few minutes the warm sunshine, coupled with sheer boredom, lulled her to sleep.

            As she snored lightly, a breeze picked up and blew her stray hairs into her face. She reeled up for a sneeze as they tickled her nose. The sneeze was a convulsive one and woke her. 'Aw,' she thought. 'I was having such a nice dream, too.' Her son was flying with her, smiling wide and whispering some secret in her ear. 'Hmm, what's it supposed to mean when you fly in your dreams again?' she wondered and slowly got out of her seat. She leaned good deal of her weight on the table for support (as she did habitually these last few years) and stood. 

            The table gave way and Bulma's hand shot through the surface as it splintered. She watched this happen as if it were in slow motion. Instead of falling, her body snapped to attention. She jumped back and stood up straight. 

            Her brain couldn't process anything. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. She ran a shaking hand through her hair and started to hyperventilate. Something felt very wrong. Her muscles felt different; supple, alive. She registered the firing of neurons which corresponded to something strange; something new. 

            The something new brushed up against her leg as it wagged nervously this way and that. It was furry, brown and attached to her. She could feel the bones which humans had phased out through evolution slide from left to right as the appendage moved. Finally, Bulma's scream caught up with her. It drew all those with sharp enough hearing to her, quickly. 

            Bra and Roland arrived first. They stopped dead in their tracks as they laid their eyes on her.

            "Muh, muh, muh..." Bra stuttered, "MOM!?!"

            Bulma nodded slowly.

            "What has happened to you, Ma Mere?" Roland asked. He titled his head down and looked at her over the top of his sunglasses.

            "I.. I.. don't know," she began softly. "I fell asleep and..."

            She stopped as Vegeta and Mirai Trunks burst into the room. Both men's jaws fell. 

            "What the..?" Vegeta wore a comical expression of half shock and half amusement. "Bulma?" he asked, not able to accurately place her ki signature. There was something off about it. Her tail curled around and waved at him. "How?!" he exclaimed and approached her. 

            Roland looked from one to the other and decided it would be best if they were left alone. He dragged Bra and Trunks out of the room. 

            "I just woke up this way," she whispered, afraid she was still dreaming. 

            He reached out and touched her face. Bulma put her hands up to wrap her arms around his neck, but stopped and stared at them instead. There were strong and wrinkle-free. She wanted to shriek with joy, but was far too astounded to do so. Vegeta noticed her reaction to her restored youth and laughed lightly, surprise still gleaming in his eyes. "Woman," he smiled. "You're a Saiyan!"

            "That's nuts! I can't be a Saiyan, I'm a human!" She began to panic and clutched the new appendage. She yanked at it and frowned deeper. "Holy shit, this thing's really on me!! This HAS to be a dream! This just can't be happening!"

            "Why are you so mad!?" Vegeta grabbed her arms. "How dare you look a gift like this in the mouth!"

            "A gift! What the hell are you talking about?! I didn't want this!"

            Vegeta growled, but struggled to make himself understood. "Woman, you're a Saiyan. An Elite Saiyan as well, by the way you handle your tail. You've been given another hundred years to live, maybe more!"

            Bulma was cross with him for yelling at her. She was about to bark another insult at him when his last statement sunk in. "A hundred years? What do you mean?"

            "I don't know for sure because I was separated from my race when I was so young, but," he took a deep breath. He had her full attention. "A Saiyan's life span is longer than Humans'. A lot longer. I think about 150 to 170 Earth years."

            "When were you planning on telling me that? On my death bed!?"

            He wasn't surprised at her reaction to his holding back such a secret, but it didn't matter anymore. She would live now. For a long time, right by his side. "No." He pulled her to him suddenly and kissed her, roughly. "I wasn't planning on ever telling you, you ungrateful witch." 

            She translated his insult and bit her lip. He didn't want to tell her that he would live on without her. Her eyes softened and she leaned in against his chest. He closed his eyes and hugged her, tightly. 

-*-

            Akiko re-braided her hair as she walked down the stairs. Bulma watched her with interest. 

            "Have you been wearing that same outfit since you got here?" she commented on the oversized Capsule sweatshirt and black slacks. 

            Akiko blushed, picked at the logo on the shirt and nodded. She hadn't wanted to ask anything more of her hosts. She felt she had imposed enough. 

            "Here," Bulma rummaged in her purse. She pulled out her wallet. "Go get yourself some clothes."

            'Three Bulmas,' she thought, 'and they're ALL amazing to me!' "I couldn't, really."

            The woman frowned. She looked to Trunks. "You too."

            He was startled and juggled a cup of tea.

            "My son's clothes don't look right on you." She handed them both a stack of bills. 

            "Bulma, I..." he began to protest.

            "Don't argue!" she yelled, but then smiled. "Besides, he's probably spending your money!" 

*

            Trunks piloted the air car into the city. The journey was only a five minute one, but neither Saiyan spoke to each other until they reached their destination.

            "Where is it?" Akiko hopped out of the car and asked, looking around for the huge mall that she and Trunks had visited together some nine-odd years ago. He walked to the corner. The street signs were the same, but the buildings that stood in the mall's place were much older. 

            "It was never built in this dimension because of the Jinzouningen," he told her and pointed to the dated cornerstone. "I remember going to it when I was a kid right after it opened. It was just before Mom and Dad were married. Yeah…" He remembered. "Before Majin Buu. Before Bra was born," he mused and shook his head a little. Trunks scowled. "Before YOU were born, too, eh?"

            Akiko pouted and tried to ignore the remark. "May I remind you I am AS OLD as your sister." 

            He shot her a sidelong glance, pleased at her reaction. "Well, it looks like this place sells clothes too." 

            She folded her arms and entered the building. "Let's get this over with."

-*-

            Adonai knocked three times on the front door. His knuckles were beginning to feel a tiny bit sore. It was late in the day and he and his sister had knocked on hundreds of doors already. His stomach grumbled.

            "I'm hungry too, Adonai," Soma whispered as they waited for a response. "Should we ask for food here?"

            He didn't answer. They both heard someone approach the door before it opened. A man in his forties with lavender hair answered. "Can I help you?" he asked, and like many others, raised an eyebrow at the strange duo. He didn't look like their father. His eyes were black and their shape was more Son-like than Vegeta-like.

            "Have you seen a woman with blue hair and a star like this," Soma pointed to her organ, "in the last couple of weeks?"

            "Sorry," he shrugged. "Did you lose one?"

            "You could say that," Adonai grumbled and began to take his leave.

            "You look really familiar," the man of the house studied the boy carefully. 

            "Yeah, well..." Ado tried to grab Soma, but she was interested.

            "So do you. Who's son are YOU?" she asked without toning the question down for the stranger's benefit.

            "Me? Uh, I'm Goku's son, Trunks."

            "WHAT!?!" Adonai bugged out.

            "Who are YOU?" he asked.

            "Just passing through!" Soma sweat a little and grabbed the katana from her brother. He was boiling with disgust. "Nice to meet you again, Trunks!" In a flash they were gone, and Trunks Son was left staring at space with his jaw touching his chest. 

*Footnote 1*

-*-

            Vegeta emerged from the gravity chamber victorious. He smiled mischievously and watched the sunset briefly before going to meet his wife. 

            Bulma was waiting for him. She wore a brand-new negligee and had lit dozens of candles in their bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed, stroking her tail as she had all afternoon. 

            "You're going to wear a hole in it if you keep that up," Vegeta jibed as he entered silently through the window. Bulma scowled, but raised her eyebrows suddenly. She hadn't been surprised at his entrance; she felt him enter the room before she saw him. That was the first shock. The second came when she noticed a flicker of movement in the shadows. 

            "Oh, Vegeta," she gasped. "You did it!"

            The Prince smirked and waved his own, thick, brown tail at her as he approached. She stood and wrapped her arms and tail around him. He did like wise. He threaded one arm around her waist, his tail under her butt and touched her face with the other hand. He held her chin and stared into her blue eyes. He didn't need to say that this was a dream come true; that she was beautiful; that he was happy. Her third surprise came when he spoke.

            "Bulma Briefs:" he whispered. He had never called her by her full name before. He smiled with his eyes. Bulma's heart fluttered. "Saiyan Princess." His lips met hers, softly, gently. She melted into him.

-*-

            After dinner, Niwatori and Akiko did the dishes and Bulma got a good idea. She dumped a stack of boxes on the coffee table in the living room. Zarbon examined them closely and made a face. "Parcheesi?"

            "Yup!" She showed them to him. "And Sorry, Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble..."

            Trunks walked over and checked out the games. "Ooh, that's an old version of Trivial Pursuit."

            "To you it is, Chibi boy," Niwatori smirked. 

            "Hey! Tribond! I am so good at that game!" Akiko grabbed the box. 

            "Good! Let's play!"

            They all took seats and chose Scrabble as the first game. Zarbon, being the only person who had a different mother-tongue, sat out and helped Bulma instead. That began a nightly tradition. After dinner every night, the unlikely five-some gathered in the living room and played games together. All the stress and strangeness of the situation was eased considerably for at least a few hours at the end of each day.

-*-

            The twins thanked their hosts, another set of older twins for the meal and made their way to the front door. 

            "We hope you find your parents soon!" The teen girl waved.

            "Good luck!" Her brother saluted to Adonai.

            "Thanks Kenji." 

            "Bye Kaci!"

            Ado unsheathed the sword and they hopped out.

*Footnote 2*

-*-

            The portal closed behind them and they approached yet another front door. 

            "That was fun!" Soma sighed. "I wish we could have stayed with them longer."

            "We're on a mission, sister," he reminded her and rang the bell.

            "I know, I know. I just felt kind of at home for an hour or so. It was nice."

            The door swished open and yet another strange-looking, lavender haired young man answered it. "Can I help you?"

            Soma's jaw hit the floor. Adonai began reciting the question, not noticing his sister's shock. "Have you seen a woman with blue hair and a star like this?"

            "Which one?"

            "HUH!?!"

            Trunks blinked as he recognized the girl. "Oh, hey. What's up Soma?"

            "T!?!"

            "Long time no see. Where's yer Mom?"

            "Oh, T! We're looking for her, I mean she's lost, I mean we're looking for her at Capsules and it's been weeks already and no Moma and..!!" tears coursed down her cheeks. Soma fell against Trunks's leg and hugged him. He hugged her back and listened to her babble her story.

            "Soma, get a grip! What the hell's going on!?" Ado shook her rigorously.

            "This isn't Adonai, is it?" T looked down at the boy. "I thought he was living with his Dad, the Luckier Me." 

            A light went on in the girl's head. She grabbed her brother's arms and smiled from ear to ear. "Come on! We're in Dibad!" she cried and dragged him into the air. He was a bit surprised that she knew how to fly. He hadn't seen her do it yet. "Sorry, T, I have to tell everyone!"

            "Uh, ok! Good luck!" He waved to them as they flew into the east. T scratched his head and went back inside.

            Soma touched down outside the two little houses and ran in the door with out knocking. She held her brother's hand tightly. His eyes were wide with disbelief. Soma called out to the members of the house. "Gramma! Grampa?!"

            A young woman with blue hair and a light purple star ran into the living room. "Soma! What are you doing here? What's wrong?"

            "Aunt Akago!" she cried and hugged her. Akago picked her up and shushed her. 

            "Gosan! Mom! Dad!" she ran outside and called. Adonai stood where he was, still not sure what was going on. He scanned the walls of the small home. Books were everywhere… books and pictures.

            Atsuko and Gohan were in the back yard. They ran around the house and listened as the little girl told her story. The commotion aroused the neighbors. The great-grandparents joined the group, all ears and wonder. 

            "This is terrible!" Chi-chi looked to Goku as if to say, 'make it better!' Akago put the four and a half foot tall eight-year old down. Soma hugged her grandmother and buried her face in her shirt. She looked up suddenly and wondered aloud where her brother was. 

            "Adonai? He's here!?" The family turned and looked to the house as Soma pointed. Adonai was standing in the doorway, staring at the group. He began to walk slowly toward them with a comical look on his face.

            "Hey, Adonai! How ya been, buddy! You look strong!" Great-grandfather Goku, as optimistic as ever, noticed the muscles under the blue spandex suit Ado wore. He knew it was Vegeta's handiwork. 

            Ado glared at him, but didn't stop. He spat the name 'Kakarott' at the elder Saiyan and sneered at him. Goku's eyes widened as he watched the boy pass in awe. 'That name,' he thought. 'My own great-grandson just called me that name!'

            Atsuko noticed the boy's anger and stepped forward. "Do you remember me, Adonai? I'm your gramma, Atsuko."

            He walked by her and stopped finally in front of his sister. Without a word, he reached out, grabbed her hand, took out the sword-key and cut a gate open. 

-*-

            Soma shot a devastated glance at her grandmother as they disappeared. The portal slammed shut and she sank to her knees. Ado sheathed the sword and observed his surroundings.

            "Come on. We have to get back to Capsule."

            "Why..?" Soma sobbed.

            The boy scoffed and stuck his chin up.

            "No, Adonai, why did we leave!?! Did you know that Great-aunt Mira is a very powerful sorceress!?! Do you realize that we could have gotten her to send us to Mother and Father?!"

            His sneer faded and he closed his eyes. Ado growled and spun to confront her. He opened his mouth, but saw the pain in Soma's eyes. For the last three weeks he had gotten to know his sister and he hadn't really felt anything for her yet. She had been an all right companion. She was quiet, hardly ever complained or cried or carried on. Now she was screaming with frustration and grief and it was all his fault. He felt horrible

            "No, Soma. I didn't know." He squatted down next to her. She continued to cry. He pouted. "I'm sorry, my sister, but I can't believe..." he began to get angry, but knew this would just upset her further. "Father never told me that Mother was a Son. This means I'm related to Okano and his twerpy cousin, Kashtan!"

            "So?" Soma sniffed, interested.

            "So!?! I am the Prince of the Saiyans! They are the sons of Kakarott!"

            She gave him puppy dog eyes. "Does that mean I'm the Princess of the Saiyans?"

            "Huh?" His anger ebbed again. "Yeah, I guess so. You and Aunt Bra and Korosette." He stood and looked west.  "You ready?"

            "I guess. Prince Adonai..." She smiled sweetly. 

            With his back turned to her, he allowed the corner of his mouth to turn up. "Come on, Princess."

-*-

            "So there's this alien and this human sitting next to each other at a bar. The alien's poking the guy's cheek and going 'zzzt'!" Trunks pointed at the air, hunkered his shoulders, grinned and made a cute, buzzing sound to illustrate the joke. 

            "The guy keeps drinking and says 'Quit it.' He does it again and the guy gets pissed. He says, 'If you do that one more time, I'll chop your dick off!' The alien pokes his cheek and goes 'zzzt' a third time and the guy says, 'Okay, that's it!' He gets up, grabs the knife the bartender's using to cut limes, and pulls down the alien's pants. He's a little shocked to see nothing there. Then he says, 'well, if you don't have a dick, then how the hell do you have sex?' The alien just smiles, pokes the guy's cheek, and goes 'zzzt'!"

            Bulma, Akiko and Niwatori lost it. They were so tired and punchy that they burst out laughing. Zarbon rolled his eyes.

            "What? You didn't get it!?!" Niwatori wiped tears from her eyes. 

            "Oh, I got it."

            Trunks made a face. "Oops, I didn't realize.."

            The women gasped and looked to the pure-blooded alien man.

            "DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT! I HAVE THE PROPER ANATOMY!!!"

            Akiko rolled on the floor alongside Bulma. "HA HA HA!!! Ha haha.. oh.. ha ha..." 

            Zarbon began to chuckle as he watched his mate clutch her sides. Trunks did the same. Niwatori smiled, cleared away the empty tea cups and the last board game they had played. The women sighed as they righted themselves, still giggling. Trunks met Akiko's eyes. They were warm and happy. He smiled at her awkwardly. They both looked away quickly. Bulma and Zarbon didn't notice, they were too busy making excuses to turn in early. Trunks wandered out of the room and Akiko sighed and took her own tea cup back into the kitchen. Niwatori watched them carefully. She saw Trunks close the sliding glass door behind him and lift off the ground. She sneaked out and followed him.

            He was on the roof. She touched down without asking permission and folded her arms. "When are you going to talk to her?"

            "What!?"

            "If you still care about her, why don't you tell her so?"

            Trunks was silent. He didn't look up at her. 

            "God! You are just as stubborn as... YOU are!" she yelled at him, put her hands on her hips, turned her back to him and jumped down.

            Akiko sat in the living room reading a Hemingway book. Her vision blurred as she zoned out. The book drooped a little. Niwatori came back in the room and sat down across from her. She massaged her right leg, and pressing down on her patella in a certain way, she twisted the shin. To Akiko's surprise, the limb came off just above the knee. 

            "Thinking about Trunks?" Tori asked. She began the same procedure with the other leg. She laid the appendages next to her on the couch, sighed and scratched the stumps.

            "Yeah," Akiko zoned back in and blushed. She nodded and made a face. "I didn't know they were.."

            "Oh, yeah. Gotta love Capsule technology!"

            "But, you guys have Dragon Balls.."

            "..Why didn't I wish my legs back?" She knew the question she wanted to ask and smiled. "These are my legs." Tori motioned to the prosthetics. "Well, these and about twenty different sets for different occasions and purposes." She noticed the younger woman wasn't staring at them. She was looking her directly in the eyes. Akiko's eyes were soft and lonely. Tori sighed. "You know, sometimes, when I worry about him, I go up to the roof. It's so quiet and beautiful up there."

            "Yeah?"

            Akiko closed the door with her tail and lifted gently off the ground. Why did her life suck so hard? Why did she still love him? Where were her children!? She pouted and tried to hold back tears as the top of the dome and Trunks came into sight.

            "Oh! Sorry, I didn't know you were up here..." She was surprised that she debated leaving. Why wasn't she running away? 'I don't know why!!!' she thought and turned to bolt.

            "Akiko, wait."

            She hovered in place.

            "I was actually going to come looking for you," he said, still looking out at the lights of the Western Capitol. "Can we.. talk?"

            "Um, sure." Akiko lighted and sat with her back to him. She pulled her knees up and hugged them. 

            "I think we had a pretty good time tonight."

            "Yeah, it was fun." She bit her lip. No one was around and he was making an effort to talk to her. What was going on?!

            "I almost forgot for a while that we're trapped here."

            There, she knew it! The insult. He had just asked her to stay to insult her! "Yeah, well, we ARE trapped though, aren't we?" she sneered.

            "I didn't mean it like that."

            "Didn't you? I am the one whose fault everything is, aren't I?" Akiko huffed.

            Trunks closed his eyes and tried to salvage the conversation. He pushed his pride down and pulled his courage up. "I admit I haven't exactly walked on eggshells around you..."

            Akiko snorted to affirm this.

            "..But I'm serious now. I'm getting distracted into thinking I'm at home. I looked across the coffee table tonight and you were laughing without a care and I thought, wow. Maybe this won't be as terrible as it seems."

            He stopped for a moment to allow her to snarl at him again. When he got silence, he sucked in a deep breath and continued.

            "We've been here for a month. I have begun to resign myself to the fact that we may never get home..."

            "But Soma and Adonai!..." Akiko cried, still not facing him.

            "Do you know for certain that they'll come to our rescue? What if it's them that needs the rescuing?"

            "I'm trying not to think about that. I have to believe that they're all right; that they'll find us."

            "I do too, but.. if I DO have to stay here forever..." Trunks inherited his stomach from his father and it flip-flopped as he tried to force out the words. "I'm glad we can be civil to each other. Akiko, there's something I have to ask you."

            She stared out at the city lights. They were far fewer than in Etibi or Dibad and it was also quieter for the lack of inhabitants. She held her breath and waited for him to speak again.

            "I haven't been very tactful in dealing with our... problems. I've said a lot of things that I know have hurt you. I only said them because I didn't know what else to do. Part of me wanted to make you feel worse than I did. Like the last time I saw you, when you gave me my son. Half of me was outraged that you were leaving again and half of me wanted to cry out 'don't go!' The bitterness wouldn't let me shed a single tear until you were gone." He opened his eyes and looked to the stars for strength. 

            "Akiko Son, I love you. I will always love you. I'm sorry for the way I've reacted to the choices you've felt you had to make. I want to know.. what I mean is.. I need you to.." he stuttered. 'Damn it! I was on a roll!' "Will you please forgive me?" Trunks squeezed his eyes shut and waited for her to storm off.

            Akiko turned her head and looked at the back of his. Tears coursed down her cheeks. "On one condition..."

            Trunks's eyes popped open and he turned to look at her.

            "If you'll forgive me!" she eked out. Trunks put his hand on top of hers and began to cry as well. They wrapped their arms around each other and embraced at last, exchanging 'I love you's and 'I'm sorry's.

**End Chapter Fifteen**

**Footnotes:**

1)         This character (Goku and Bulma's son, Trunks) is taken from Alternate Dragon Ball Z and modified to fit my demented purposes.


	17. Sixteen

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Note: **

(-*-) indicates a change in setting from one dimension to another. 

means the speaker is being heard telepathically. 

indicates that the speakers are speaking Saiyan. 

(*) indicates a change of scene or great lapse of time in the same dimension. 

-*-

            Mirai Trunks charged up and held his hand out, thumb tucked in, palm facing out. "Burning attack!" he cried and fired at his father. Vegeta burst out of the dust risen from the block and charged at him. This was the men's daily routine. For hours on end, they would beat each other relentlessly, often to the point where one of them was unable to fight anymore. They reached just such an impasse late one afternoon. Vegeta sat down on a boulder and panted. Trunks ran a hand through his short hair and made a face.

            "So, Chibi me doesn't fight that much anymore, does he?"

            Vegeta scoffed. "That much!? Ha! Try not at all."

            "I could tell," Trunks added. He would never have cut his hair this short. It got in the way. When it was long, he could pull it out of his eyes. Besides, Niwatori liked it long... He sighed. Would he ever see her again?

            "How's your mother?" Vegeta asked.

            Trunks's eyes bulged slightly. This man had changed since last he saw him. He was calmer, more open. He would never have asked about Bulma in such a manner twenty years ago.

            "Great," he said positively but choked as he remembered part of the reason for her happiness. "She was wished younger a few years ago."

            "Really?" Vegeta smirked, remembering the new smoothness of his Saiyan wife's skin. "I'm still dead, I take it."

            "Yes sir." Trunks zipped his lip and got polite. 

            Vegeta noticed. He stood, walked over and looked down at him. "What?"

            "Huh?"

            "What was it you were going to say about her?"

            "Oh, nothing.." Trunks wilted under his father's stare. "Just, she's... found someone."

            This was not what the Prince had expected to hear. He raised an eyebrow and turned his back on him. "Really?" he said again, this time without amusement. "Why do I get the feeling there's more to it than that, boy?" Vegeta turned his head and looked over his shoulder at his son.

            A large sweat drop appeared above Mirai Trunks's head. "I don't know, sir." 'Man, I'm thirty eight and he's still calling me 'boy'...' "Perhaps because you're not going to like who she's with..?"

            "ZARBON!?!?" The name echoed off the canyon walls for miles. Vegeta stuttered 'what's and 'how's for a moment as Trunks hunkered down, waiting to have the crap kicked out of him. He was very surprised when he heard laughter. Vegeta threw back his head and laughed at the idea of Bulma with the pretty-boy/monster. 

            "You're.. you're ok with that?" Trunks asked timidly.

            "What do I care? I'm dead aren't I? Besides. MY woman is a Saiyan." He grinned and beckoned his son to take him on once more.

*

            After dinner, Vegeta sneaked off on his own. He hadn't been alone in a while. This family of his was too big sometimes. Although they crowded him, he felt the sting of the absence of one particular member. 

            The Prince walked into his grandson's room. He had only been in it a few times before. It was simple and clean. The bed was made military style and the only decorations on the walls were weapons. It reminded him of his room when he was a child, before Freeza took him away from Vegeta-sei. Vegeta furrowed his brows and sat down on the edge of the bed. He cursed in his native language and scowled at the floor. He'd never felt so helpless before. Adonai was out there somewhere and there was nothing he could do to bring him back. He wondered if his own father had felt that way after Freeza took his only son. 

            "Vegeta, come to bed," Bulma whispered from the doorway. Vegeta looked up at her in wonder.

            "You... You speak Saiyan!?" the astounded Prince managed to say.

            "I guess so. Must have been part of the deal." She seemed as surprised as he was. "What's wrong, my Prince?" Bulma sat down next to her husband and hugged him. "You miss our grandson?"

            "Yes," he admitted.

            "I'm not worried about him. He's an Oujisama. He'll be all right."

            He pursed his lips, nodded and led her down the hall way toward their room.

            "Oh! I almost forgot!" She wrapped both her hands around his left arm as they walked. "I think I've figured out how this happened!" Her tail snaked around and tickled the back of his neck.

            "Oh yeah?"

            "Mmm hmm. Mirai Trunks looked worried today so I asked him what was bothering him and he said he wondered why his family hadn't WISHED HIM BACK YET!"

            "They have Dragon Balls?"

            "Apparently. Anyway, I told him what the sorceress Mira told me when she was here... something about a paradox and not being able to wish two of the same person to the same plane. Then it hit me. If I've been WISHED a Saiyan, maybe Trunks is responsible and in a dimension with Dragon Balls! And if I'm right, it means that Trunks is ok!" She grinned with hope.

            They came at last to the bedroom door. Vegeta opened it and sneered at her. "That's pretty far fetched, Woman."

            Her smile fell. "Ooh!" she seethed and prepared to launch into a barrage of insults.

            "You actually think our son is that clever?" he scoffed, grabbed her around the waist with one hand and closed the door with the other.

-*-

            "I'm sorry." The black-haired, teenage boy shook his head. Soma pouted. Her stomach grumbled. A boy and a girl joined him at the door.

            "What's going on, Trunks?"

            "Oh, Goten, Pan, these kids are looking for a woman with blue hair and a mark like theirs. You seen anyone like that?"

            Goten appeared to be a little older than Trunks. "Nope. Sorry." He looked, for all intents and purposes like the familiar Goten, except for the spiky, lavender hair. Pan was much younger than she should have been and bore more resemblance to Bra. Trunks shrugged. "Yeah, sorry. We'll keep an eye out for ya though."

            Soma stared at them, incredulously.

            "That won't be necessary, thank you." Adonai poked her to get her out of her trance. "Come, sister."

            "Bye," she muttered as he pulled out the sword. The boys and Pan waved and the twins disappeared. 

*Footnote 1*

-*-

            "Weird," Ado snorted.

            "Yeah, but this is weirder," Soma said as she pointed to the scene before them. There was no Capsule complex. Instead, an open, lush forest surrounded them. Two people in greyish uniforms and a cat came running out of the trees chased by three young people. 

            "Come on, Adonai, let's go." Soma pouted and looked to him. He handed her the katana and began walking towards the scene. "Adonai?.."

            "Just, hang on a sec..." There was a strange gleam in his eye that Soma didn't like. He ran towards the chase and planted himself between the two parties. "Ok." He grinned and put his fists on his hips. "Who want's a severe thrashing!?"

            Everyone stopped and stared at the spandex-clad youngster. The teens being chased noted his muscles, raised their hands and spoke up first. "Not us!"

            "Help us! They're trying to take our Pikachu!" the girl made a pouty face and begged him. Adonai noticed how long her hair and how short her skirt was.

            "Yeah!" The periwinkle-haired boy lifted up a glass jar which held what looked like a huge, bright yellow hamster and hugged it. 

            "Ok then!" Ado faced his foes.

            "Are you kidding me!?" the boy with the baseball cap cried out. Ado charged the three and soon they were all out cold. 

            "That was nothing!" Ado frowned. He turned and saw the others trying to sneak away. "Hey, who are YOU, anyway?"

            "Shall we?" the boy asked his partner.

            "I think we must! To protect the world from devastation!"

            "To unite all peoples within our nation!"

            "To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

            "To extend our reach to the stars above!"

            "Jesse!"

            "James!"

            "Team Rocket! Blast off at the speed of light!"

            "Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

            "Meowth, that's right!"

            Both twins blinked at them. "Did that cat just talk?" Ado murmured.

            "I think you may have made a mistake, Adonai," Soma offered.

            "Surrender now, eh? Yeah right." He took a stance and snorted like a bull ready to charge. "I am Adonai, Prince of the Saiyans! YOU prepare to fight!" Before he could take a single step forward, they dropped the glass jar and high-tailed it away from the young Prince. 

            "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!!!"

            "What was that all about?"

            Adonai shrugged and approached the glass jar. Soma kept behind him as he pressed a button and released the animal. "What the hell is THAT?!"

            "I don't know. Adonai, I'm scared." She hunkered down and peered over her brother's shoulder.

            "Pika-pi?"

            The three kids regained consciousness and approached the twins. "Hey buddy! Leave Pikachu alone!!" 

            "Ash! watch out! In case you've forgotten that kid just K.O.ed us a moment ago!" the brown haired girl reminded him.

            "It's all right," Soma waved her arms. "He's gotten it out of his system now, haven't you Adonai?" she asked in a bit of a rougher tone.

            He folded his arms, turned his back and scoffed. "They're no fun. Didn't even defend themselves."

            "We don't fight with our fists," the tall, dark haired boy informed them. "We use Pokemon."

            "Poke a what?"

            "Like Pikachu here. We train them to fight one another."

            Adonai began to chuckle as he turned to look at the oversized gerbil. "That!? That thing fights!?! Mwah ha ha!! You've got to be joking!"

            Ash looked offended. "Pikachu, show him your Thunder Shock!"

            "Piiiii kaaaaa..."

            "Oh yeah?" Ado felt the electrical energy rise and grinned from ear to ear. He activated his Rasha abilities and began siphoning it away from the animal.

            "What's going on!?" Misty knew there was something wrong. Pikachu couldn't keep enough energy to attack.

            "Nagitaotsu!" Adonai pointed his index and middle fingers at him and defeated the Pokemon with one blow. 

            "Pikachu!!" Ash ran forward. 

            "Don't worry, Ash, Onyx! I choose...!" Brok was cut off as all three kids noticed a small, pink, round Pokemon enter the scene.

            "Jigglypuff!"

            "Oh no!!!" Misty wailed. 

            The critter began to warble his name into his little microphone and suddenly everyone felt incredibly tired. "Jiiiiiii gali puuuuuuufffff..."

            Soma saw everyone's eyelids begin to droop. "What's happening?" 

            "Jigglypuff's song is so... ahhh... relaxing it puts everything that can hear it to sleep!" Ash told her.

            "That's... *yawn* ...ridiculous!" Adonai's eyes began to close.

            Soma was the only one who remained unaffected. She squeezed her eyes shut and began a song of her own. Her voice was clear, high and in perfect pitch.

            Jigglypuff was miffed. He turned up the volume on his mic. Soma lifted her arms to the sky and belted out her tune. The pokemon's song was drowned out by her spell. Finally, she lowered her head and dropped her arms, spent. 

            Jigglypuff's eyes closed and it fell over backwards, dead asleep.

            "Huh?" Ash rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes. "All right! That's incredible! How'd you do that?" he cheered.

            "Oh, it was just a simple sleep spell. I'm still not a very good sorceress, but I guess I'm getting better!" Soma blushed and twisted her braids.

            Ash giggled and grabbed Jigglypuff's microphone. "I've always wanted to do this!!" He popped the marker open and drew silly doodles all over the Pokemon. "Hee hee!" His friends laughed with him. 

            Adonai rolled his eyes. "Come on, Soma. Let's get out of this ridiculous dimension."

            "Wait! Adonai! You promised we'd eat on this hop!" she whined. 

            Adonai's stomach nagged at him. He made a mental note to make sure that he watched what he promised people from now on. 

            "You're hungry?" Brok stepped forward.

            "Yes, but we wouldn't want to impose on you, you see, we're.. different. We can eat about five times more food than.. normal people."

           "Five times!?!" Brok's eyes turned to stars. He whipped out a stove, pots, pans and ingredients from out of nowhere. "Dinner for thirteen, coming up!"

            "Brok!" Misty yelled. "That kid beat us up!" Pikachu wobbled over to Ash and said his name a few times. "And Pikachu!"

            "He won't do it again, I promise. Right Adonai?"

            Ado waved his consent as he drooled over Brok's stew. Soma sighed and shrugged. "If there are two things people in my family feel strongly about, they're fighting and food!" 

*Footnote 2*

-*-

            Evening settled on the Mirai world. The sky faded to purple. Akiko stood on the balcony. Her silk robe fluttered in the warm breeze. Trunks stepped out to join her and laced his arms around her middle. She hugged him with her tail. He hummed as he nuzzled her neck. Akiko smiled and sighed. 

            "That didn't sound very happy." He turned her around and held her face. 

            "I'm happy, just... worried."

            He frowned. "Me too. It's hard to have hope..."

            "..When we don't know where they are!" Akiko leaned into him and closed her eyes. He hugged her tightly and looked out at the darkening sky. "Oh, Trunks, my poor babies!"

            Trunks paused a second before bursting out laughing. "Babies? You haven't seen Adonai in the last six years!"

            Akiko blinked rapidly and looked at him funny.

            "He's huge! He'll break Super Saiyan any day now."

            Akiko began to share his laughter. "Really?" He nodded and she hugged him again. "I'm sure they're all right, I just wish I knew..."

            "Akiko, can you hear me?" a familiar voice echoed in her head. She jerked out of her lover's arms and gasped.

            "Kiko? What's wrong?"

            Akiko stared out at the landscape and gripped the railing tightly in shock. "MIRA!?!"

*

            Trunks waited anxiously as she carried on the one-sided conversation with her aunt. She said good-bye at last and met his eyes.

            "They're coming. They're all right and they're coming!"

            "Mira found them!?"

            She shook her head slowly. "They move too quickly to trace," she whispered everything she said. "They're were there. In Dibad."

            "WERE there? As in, not anymore? Why didn't they stay?"

            Akiko pouted and replied in a daze. "Mira said that.. my mother said... Adonai forced Soma to hop out..."

            "Why'd he do that?" Trunks asked, annoyed at his son's actions. 

            "Mom said.. she thought that... maybe," Akiko tried to come to terms with what she had been told. "Adonai didn't know them. He didn't know his own family.. or that Goku was his great-grandfather! Why wouldn't he remember? He's met them before!"

            Trunks made a face. "Oh..."

            "Trunks...? You DID tell him about my family, didn't you?!"

            He took her hands and looked down. "There's something you need to know about Adonai." Trunks began slowly, not sure how to tell his love about the time she had missed. "You weren't around. You don't know what it was like for him, growing up. He's been trained by Vegeta for six years. He's learned the Saiyan language. He knows you were a Goddess, but that's about it."

            She pursed her lips.

            "Akiko, by the time he would have been old enough to understand the truth, he already had Vegeta's superior attitude infused in him. He doesn't get along with Pan and Goten's kids because of it. Even though he never knew Goku, he uses the name Kakarott just about as freely as my dad does..." 

            Akiko looked far off and sighed. "He doesn't remember me?"

            "I don't know, sweet. He's not exactly Mr. Vocal." He frowned.

            "Adonai.." she whispered and leaned on Trunks. "I guess I don't know him anymore, either."

            He kissed the top of her head. "There'll be plenty of time for everyone to get to know each other again…" It was his turn to look off at the coming of the night. "…When they come back safe to us."

-*-

            Stomachs full, the twins hopped to another dimension. They had gotten a little turned around on their last adventure and saw they were a block away from the Capsule complex. Both were silent as they approached the door. Soma wrung her hands. She felt the same anxiety she felt every time they approached Capsule. There was a chance her parents could be behind any door. She clutched her brother's arm and he knocked three times.

            "Soon, Soma. It must happen soon. We've been to thousands of Capsules. Soon we'll be home."

            She didn't reply, but held her breath. The door opened.

            "Can I help you?" the Jinzouningen asked. 

            Soma exhaled and asked her the standard question. 

            "I'm sorry, I haven't seen anyone who looks like that," she replied. 

            "Thanks for your time, Eighteen," the boy bowed to her.

            "My name is Juuhatchigou," she corrected Adonai.

            He looked to his sister. "Same difference," she whispered. He shrugged and cut a portal.

*Footnote 3*

-*-

            As the wind died down, Soma pouted. "Looks like another dud."

            Once again, there was no Capsule Building. They were standing in a metropolis. Shops lined either side of the blocked off street. Pedestrians strolled around, window shopping. Some, who had seen them arrive, gawked at the twins. 

            "Yeah. Let's get out of..." Adonai began, but was silenced as the citizens began to cry out in terror. A few hundred yards away, two, elaborately colored creatures burst in on center of the commons from an alley way. They menaced the populace and Adonai handed off the katana to his sister. 

            "Oh boy, here we go again." She rolled her eyes.

            He walked leisurely towards them as people raced past him, fleeing for their lives. The monsters tore up a statue in the middle of the pavement. Just as he was about to make a clever declaration of his intentions on thrashing the baddies, he was cut off by someone else with the same designs.

            "Hey there, you Nega-creeps! Destroying public property is against the law, and besides, it's not very nice!" A young, pink haired girl in a red-trimmed sailor suit pointed her index finger at them. She held a scepter in her other hand. 

            "What are you going to do about it?!" one of the demons asked in a rough voice.

            "We're gonna take you out.." said the tall, black-haired, teenage girl behind her.

            "..With the rest of the trash!" added the other brown-haired girl.

            "Look who's calling who trash, Sailor Scouts!" the other demon put in and charged the girls. Adonai raised an eyebrow and grumbled something about being far better at pre-battle banter than they were. He strolled closer and watched for a moment. 

            "Adonai! Let's get out of here! Do you really need to jump into every fight you come across!?"

            "YES!" he shouted and joined the battle. The scouts were surprised that a new enemy had joined in. He was young, but powerful and they shot off blast after blast at him, all of which he was able to either dodge or block.

            "Jupiter.. Thunder..!" the tallest scout called out. Ado felt the electrical charge grow and began to pull it away from her attack before she even got a chance to use it.

            "Mars.. Fire..."

            "Huh?" Ado was so interested in Jupiter that he was caught off guard.

            "Oh no you don't! KESU!" Soma put her hands together, then jutted one out towards Sailor Mars. Her attack was instantly extinguished. "Adonai! You're fighting on the wrong side! These are the good guys, I can feel it!"

            "So? They're more powerful than these cream puffs." The demons looked comically hurt. "Where's the challenge in that?"

            "Challenge?" The siblings began to fight in the middle of the battle. "Adonai! They're bad!!"

            "So am I!!"

            "Aiiiii!!!!" 

            He turned to see the younger scout being lifted off the ground by some sort of magical beam. Both the other scouts had been knocked out while the twins fought. Adonai got mad. She was his sister's age and she was in trouble. "Hey, Cream-puffs! Thanks for ruining my fun!" he growled. Soma ran up beside him. 

            "Wait!" She put her hands together again. "Taoreru!!" The young scout fell out of the air. She jumped back a few times and made sure the scene was secure before rushing to her companions. 

            Adonai ran at the demons and proceeded to beat the hell out them. One tried sneaking up on him while the other fought. Ado threw his hand out and shot a ki blast at it. It burst into flames before becoming a pile of ash. "Oh, you're no fun!!!" he cried and blasted the other one. 

            The fight over, Adonai pouted and folded his arms. "Damn it. Another let down." He looked to his sister. She was passing her hand over one of the scout's legs. 

            "There. That should do it. You can stand on it now."

            Jupiter got to her feet. "Wow! That was amazing! Thank you."

            "No problem. It's the least I could do to make up for my brother's actions."

            Ado huffed and turned his back on her. 

            "That's your brother?!" the pink-haired scout asked. 

            "My twin, actually." Soma got to her feet and made a face. 

            "Hey, Chibi Usa, look at her forehead!" Mars pointed at Soma.

            "Wow, are you the Star Princess?" She pushed back her own pink bangs and revealed a yellow crescent moon.

            "Uh... not the STAR Princess... Are you an alien?"

            "No. Are YOU?" she asked, astounded.

            "I'm a hybrid." Soma smiled and shot her the 'V' sign.

            Adonai mimicked girls yammering and rolled his eyes. "Come on, Soma. Let's get going."

            Soma shrugged and bowed to the girls. She handed the blade to her brother "Adonai, can we sleep soon?" she yawned as she asked. He ignored her. He was tired as well and getting cranky. "Adonai..?"

            "Maybe." He took the key and cut a portal. Soma cried out and ran at him. She grabbed his arm just in time before the gate shut. 

*Footnote 6*

-*-

            They stood in front of another Capsule building.

            "ADONAI!?" she shouted. "You almost left me behind!!" Her lip quivered. "What's wrong? What did I DO?"

            He slung the sword over his back. "Nothing." He frowned and looked up at the building: another strange, yet intimately familiar house. "I guess I need some rest too." He stuck out his hand. "I'm sorry, Soma. Come on. One more. I'll ask for lodging here."

            "Kay," she sniffed, satisfied with his apology. Her brother knocked three times, and they waited. He looked into her eyes. She smiled back at him. He squeezed her hand tighter.

            "Excuse me, but have you seen a woman with blue hair and a star like this?" Adonai asked the woman who answered the door. "And if you haven't, could we ask you for lodging for the night? We're travelers and we're very weary." He bowed to her.

            "Please, come in..." She looked a bit dazed. Adonai furrowed his brows, but followed her and his sister in. Soma yawned loudly.

            "Um, Ma'am?" he called after her. "I don't mean any disrespect, but..." He wanted to know why she hadn't answered his question, but he never got to finish his complaint. She led them into the living room. 

            He was down on one knee in front of her. They were silhouetted by the setting sun pouring through the window behind them. "Please say you'll be my wife." 

            Soma looked up finally and was shaken from her sleepiness. Adonai's jaw fell. 

            "Of course! Oh, Trunks!" Akiko beamed. He stood and they embraced.

            "MOMA!" Soma cried and ran to them. "MOMA MOMA MOMA!!" 

            "SOMA!?! Ohmygod SOMA!!!" 

            Trunks let his fiancé go and gasped as he saw his children. "ADONAI!"

            The boy felt very strange. His heart was in his throat. His eyes stung. He wanted to shrug and tell his father it was no big thing; that he knew he'd find them, but his words were choked. He could only manage one word: "Father!"

            Niwatori watched the family hug. Akiko cried loudly and squeezed her daughter. "Soma, oh Soma-sweet! You made it!" 

            Trunks released Adonai and held him by the shoulders. "Good job, Son."

            He bowed his head quickly and smiled from ear to ear.

            "Adonai..." Akiko held Soma who wept with joy with one hand against her shoulder and extended her other arm to her son. He stared at her in wonder. 

            Suddenly, he was a toddler again. He felt the blanket's warmth, only this time, he looked up and saw her face. It wasn't white anymore, but it was her face; his mother's face. He allowed her to hug him. "You did it! I knew you would!" She pet him, feeling his hair, the shape of his face as if he had just been born. "I'm so proud of you!"

            "We're both proud of you," Trunks added. Soma wriggled her way out of Akiko's grip and smiled up at him.

            "Me too, Father?" 

            He nodded, picked her up effortlessly and hugged her. 

            Akiko wiped tears from her cheeks and noticed that they had gathered an audience. Niwatori, Bulma and Zarbon stood in the entry-way, watching the touching scene. She stood and introduced her friends to her children. Adonai tugged her hand. She looked down and he ceremoniously handed her the inter-dimensional key. 

            "Do you still know how to use it?" Trunks asked.

            She nodded and looked to her hosts. "I'll take them to Etibi and bring Mirai Trunks back here. I shouldn't be more than five minutes."

            "Thank you for everything," Trunks hugged Bulma and Niwatori and shook Zarbon's hand.

            "Tell the Prince I said hey," he smirked.

            "Will do!"

            "Take care, you guys!" Bulma smiled.

            "Five minutes?" Niwatori couldn't help but be nervous.

            "Ok, four!" Akiko laughed.

            Tori blushed. "Good luck, Akiko."

            The once-Goddess took her family's hands and cut a portal with the katana. The gate stood open under her trained hand and they walked leisurely through it. 

-*-

            As soon as they were all through, she closed the portal and felt out for Mirai's ki. "I have to get him back." Adonai and Trunks looked to her with a degree of concern.

            "Don't worry, she's a pro!" Soma chimed.

            She gave them a reassuring smile. "Besides, I think he knows not to mess with me now!" She levitated off the floor and flew out of the room.

*          

            Trunks and Vegeta hung in the air, panting. They had just reached another impasse. They were about to drop Super-Saiyan and take a break when they both noticed a strange ki approaching.

            "Mirai Trunks," she announced, "I have come to take you back where you belong."

            He nodded and turned to Vegeta. "Good to see you again, Father."

            Vegeta stopped glowering at Akiko and extended his hand to Mirai. "Good-bye, Son." The men shook and Akiko opened a portal.

-*-

            "I think you know the way from here," she said as she opened another gate back to Etibi. 

            "I'm sorry, Goddess, for what I've done." He hung his head.

            "Hey, you don't know how good this turned out to be. Tori'll tell ya all about it. Now, hurry and get back to her. I told her four minutes!"

            "Huh?" Mirai asked, confused.

            "I gotta run. I'm getting married! See ya!" She waved to him and jumped through. Trunks blinked at the portal before bursting off for home; his home. 

            Tori felt him coming and flew out to meet him. They collided in the air and embraced. 

            "Tori-chan, I can't breathe!!" Trunks gasped.

            Niwatori loosened her grip. "I'm sorry! I missed you so much! I just... Oh I.. Oh Trunks, MY Trunks!!" She squeezed again.

            "Huh? What do you mean...?"

            "Trunks!" she ignored him and beamed up at him. "God you smell like you've been fighting! Please, can we PLEASE have kids now?! After seeing them all together I just... Nani..?!" She gaped, reached up and grabbed his short cropped hair. "Not you too!!!"

            Trunks stopped looking totally confused and laughed. He spun her around in the air and kissed her deeply. "I missed you too, you crazy girl!"

-*-

            Akiko jogged back into the living room. In the time that had passed, everyone had become aware of their return. Roland, Bra, Korosette and Bulma were all asking questions of them at once. Vegeta entered and shot an evil glare at Akiko. 

            Adonai ran to him. "Grandfather!" He stopped in front of the man and held his chin up high. 

            "Irresponsible," Vegeta cursed him.

            Adonai was visibly shocked, but set his jaw and got ready to take his punishment. Everyone grew silent.

            "What were you thinking of, running off like that?! Your grandmother was worried sick!" Vegeta snarled in his native tongue.

           Bulma pursed her lips to suppress a smile. 'He's speaking in Saiyan AND Vegeta-ese at the same time!' she thought. The Prince may have admitted to her that had been worried, but he would never do so in front of all these people!

            Ado opened his eyes and looked up at him. "I apologize if my actions were displeasing, but I had to save them."

            Vegeta sneered and took a step closer. He looked down his nose at his grandson and slapped his hand on his shoulder. "I know. I'm proud of you, Adonai."

            Bulma smiled at last and her tail wagged happily from side to side. Trunks finally noticed it. "Mom, you look great!"

            Bulma beamed and swung to Vegeta. She pointed her finger at him and waved it, smiling. "Aha! See!? I told you he did it!" 

            "Yes, yes, you're very smart. Shut up."

            "Hey guys! It's party time!!" Bra jumped up in the air and clapped her hands together. 

            "We're gonna have a wedding!" Soma added. 

            "What!?" Bulma spun around again and blinked at her son. "Really?!"

            The couple both nodded and smiled wide. Vegeta sneered and folded his arms. Akiko noticed. She made a mental note to have a chat with the Saiyan. She had to thank him for raising her son so well. She looked down at Adonai and her eyes misted. She let go of Trunks and wiped her face with the back of her hand. The katana was still in the other. She remembered it and made a face. 

            "I have to run to Kami's real quick. I think it's about time I got rid of this thing."

            Trunks took her hands and looked into her eyes. "I think we have one more stop to make."

            She cocked her head to the side in wonder.

            "Wouldn't your parents like to have a ceremony at their house..?" He grinned.

            She could hardly believe any of this was happening. She cried out loud finally and hugged Trunks.

            Bulma watched them and started to cry, herself. She clutched her tail and wiped her eyes with it.

            "Thank you..." Akiko whispered over Trunks's shoulder to no one in particular.

            "Thank who?"

            She shrugged. "I'm just thankful." He kissed her gently. Akiko leaned back, looked into his clear, blue eyes and began to sing. "Mou boku ni wa kanashii koto nado nanimo nai!"  ["I have no reason to be sad about anything anymore!"]

**End Chapter Sixteen**

**Glossary:**

Nagitaotsu = Zap

Kesu  = Extinguish

Taoreru = Drop

**Footnotes:**

1)         Trunks, Pan and Goten from the fanfiction, "Fumetsu no Senshi-tachi"… also by Aoi Kami Sarah

2)         "Pokemon" characters are owned by Nintendo, I think. Eh, whatever. I just really like Jigglypuff and Team Rocket.

3)         This Juuhachigo is from the fanfiction "Dragon Ball Super Z" 

4)         "Sailor Moon" characters; Jupiter, Mars and Chibi Moon are owned by Naoko Takeuchi.

020200032100


	18. The End

**Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Epilogue: "Tears, Cheers and Rice" By Aoi Kami Sarah**

**Note: **

(-*-) indicates a change in setting from one dimension to another. 

(*) indicates a change of scene or great lapse of time in the same dimension. 

            "Hun, you want some tea?" Atsuko asked her husband and turned the burner off. The whistle slowly died out.

            "Uh? Oh, sure." Gohan was buried deep in his work. Papers and books: the clutter of the academic, were strewn all over his desk. She set the cup down on top of a pile. He looked over his glasses at her. She smiled and turned to go back to the sewing she had left in order to make the tea. Gohan reached out suddenly and grasped her around the waist. She shrieked and juggled the tea cup as he set her down on his lap. Gohan squeezed and planted a huge, dopey kiss on her. Atsuko closed her eyes and slowly put the cup down. 

            "Mmmm..."

            ~Bing bong!~

            "Nnnnn..." the Rashawoman's tune turned sour.

            "Maybe they'll go away." Gohan didn't want an interruption now.

            "Well, we so rarely get visitors. Besides, we can do this later!" She winked at him and reluctantly got up. 

            Thinking of the stranger at the door, Gohan blushed and pretended to be busy.

            Atsuko went to the door.

            "Hello?"

            "Uh, hello! Is Go-chan at home?" the young man with the yellow and black headband asked enthusiastically.

            "Um, I think so. May I ask whose calling?"

            "Oh!" he said, a little embarrassed that his nervousness had impaired his manners. "I'm Ryoga Hibiki."

            Atsuko remembered where she had seen him before. "Oh, from the Budoukai, right?"

            "Yes Ma'am." He bowed his head slightly. 

            'Hey, a polite one!' she thought, thinking back to the long list of her youngest daughter's less courteous suitors. "Please, come in!" Atsuko lead him into the house and introduced him to Go-chan's father. The men chatted about the Tenkai Ichi Budoukai Gohan had seen him compete in, while Atsuko looked for her daughter.

            "Go-chan?" she called up the stairs.

            "Yeah Mom?" Instead, her son poked his head around the corner. He was towel- drying his black, spiky hair.

            "No Gosan, I'm looking for your sister."

            "She's in the shower."

            "Tell her when she gets out that there's a Ryoga Hibiki here to see her."

            "RYOGA!?" Gosan, wearing only a pair of orange pants, yelled and flew down the stairs. Atsuko flattened herself against the wall to avoid him. Her dress ruffled in the wake. 

            He ran into the living room and tackled the visitor. "Yo! Ryoga! Long time no see!!"

            "Gosan!? Jesus, you're huge!!"

            The younger boy let him go and grinned with pleasure. "Yeah, I been workin' out. How ya been, man? And how's Ranma and Akane?"

            "You mean Mr. and Mrs. Saotome? They're pretty good. They're expecting a kid any day now."

            "Oh wow, that's crazy!"

            Ryoga was a little weary from his travels and Gosan's enthusiasm was making his head spin.

            "Whatcha been up to?"

            "I've been doing some traveling, actually."

            "Oh, sure, did ya have a choice?" he snickered, knowing Ryoga's terrible sense of direction frequently got him hopelessly lost.

            "No, really! Your sister gave me this." He pulled a pendant out of his shirt and flipped it open. The compass needle pointed north and straight at Gosan. "I haven't been lost since." Ryoga looked up past the needle, past Gosan and saw what he had come all this way to see. 

            Go-chan's hair was still wet, but it stuck up anyway; a shorter, blue version of her brother's coif. Her eyes sparkled, her tail wagged slowly. Ryoga felt somehow renewed.

            "Ryoga," she blushed. "You found me."

            He held out the compass-pendant and nodded. Atsuko ushered Gohan outside and had to practically spell it out to Gosan that they ought to leave them alone for a while. 

            Gohan grabbed a book on his way out. The couple sat under his favorite tree. Atsuko waved to her mother-in-law who was next door, hanging wash on the line. Gosan walked over and asked her where his grandfather could be found, then flew off to the east. Atsuko nestled in to her husband's chest and sighed. He began to read aloud.

            "Once upon a time..."

-*-

            Akiko and Trunks held hands. She looked to Marron, Kashtan, Pan, Rojan and Okano. Adonai sneered at the boys who were so excited they could hardly stand still. Vegeta, Bulma, Roland, Bra, Korosette, Goten, Gohan, Chi-chi and Videl had all gathered to see them off. It wasn't every day one got to witness the inter-dimensional fabric ripped asunder.

            Pan's stomach turned. "Uh, it's not too late to change my mind, is it?"

            "Don't worry." Rojan squeezed her shoulders. "I'll be with you. And I'm just as nervous as you are. I'm going to have to meet my own mother!"

            "It's just... I haven't seen my grandfather in so long..."

            Vegeta's keen ears picked up on this murmured comment. His eyes grew wide, but he listened rather than reacted.

            "I wonder how powerful he is over there. If he's different or just the same old Goku."

            That was the ticket! The Prince clenched his fists as a plan raced through his mind.

            Akiko raised her arm and using the katana, cut a portal eight feet tall and circular. The celestial wind whipped out of its brightness, astounding all who had never seen it. "Ok, everybody ready?"

            "I AM!" Vegeta shouted suddenly and burst through the hole. "HERE I COME, KAKAROTT!!!"

            "Everyone stared, dumb-struck for a beat as the Prince disappeared into the void. The first person to react was his wife.

            "VEGETA!! What are you doing!?! You're going to ruin Trunks and Kiko's big day!!" With that, she chased after him into Dibad.

            "MOM?! DAD!" Bra and Trunks yelled. Akiko, not quite able to blink, held onto him tightly, preventing him from following suit. Bra, unimpeded, followed, just as mad.

            "Mommy!" her young daughter, Korosette cried and leapt in after her. 

            "Korosette! Non!" Roland followed her. 

            Chi-chi blinked rapidly. "What did he say? Ka ka.. rott? Did he mean GOKU!?" She looked up, pleadingly, at her sons.

            "I think so," Gohan replied. "Goten?"

            His brother nodded. "They're gonna need help."

            They both blasted off after Vegeta through the portal. 

            "What!? Goku's still alive!?" Chi-chi cried, shielded her eyes and ran blindly though the hole. Videl protested, but was unable to grab her in time. 

            "Mom, Gohan, wait!"

            Marron, Kashtan, Pan, Rojan and Okano: the only ones left who had actually been invited to visit Dibad, looked to Akiko for instructions.

            "Moma, what just happened?" Soma made a face and looked up to her.

            Akiko's face was comical. She shook her head slowly and shrugged, defeated. 

            "We'd better get going. There's gonna be a lot of explaining to do," Trunks suggested. She nodded and waved her guests through the portal.

            Adonai simply rolled his eyes and walked leisurely through. Soma caught up to him and held onto him, instinctively. 

            Akiko's expression slowly fell. She sighed and hung her head. "Oh well. Never a dull moment, huh?" She gestured for her fiancee to go before her and closed the gate behind them both. 

-*-

            "Kiko!!" Atsuko shouted. Soma hugged her grandmother, smiling wide. Akiko sheathed the katana and ran to her mother. "What on Earth is going on?!"

            Bulma wagged her tail nervously. "Where did he go?! Those jerks wouldn't even stop to take me with them!"

            Akiko motioned for her to be patient. "Mom, where's Grandada?"

            Pan stared at the blue haired women and wondered the same thing. Rojan stared as well with his heart in his throat. 

            "Somewhere out there with Gosan and Goten. Your father took off after that man.."

            "So did Gohan and.. eh.. that is, so did OUR Gohan and Goten," Videl stepped forward and added.

            Trunks felt out and soon located them. "Wow. It's kinda hard to keep track with two of Gohan and Goten, but I know where they are."

            "Good! Let's go!"

            "Mom, I really don't think that's a good idea..."

            "You got a better one?!" Bulma yelled back. "I'm the only person who can talk sense into his tiny, little, alien mind! Take me there!!"

            Trunks grimaced and looked to Akiko. She nodded her agreement and he did as his mother told him.

            "Where is he!?" Chi-chi demanded. Videl turned her attention to calming her down, which was never an easy task. Suddenly, the older woman settled down on her own as she took in her surroundings. She didn't recognize two of the newer-looking houses, but the middle one was all too familiar. She also knew the face of the woman emerging from its front door, intimately.

            Atsuko looked very confused. "What the hell is going on? Akiko, you're ok! And you're not PALE!" She fussed over her and poked her to see if she was real.

            Akiko took her mother's hands. "I'm not a Goddess anymore." She grinned widely . "And I'm getting married!"

            Atsuko and the distant Chi-chi fainted.

*

            Vegeta barreled through the air after the ki signature. His heart raced. He laughed nervously. Soon, the sparring ground was in view. There were three men in orange gis standing, staring at his approach. Kakarott, the younger brat Goten, and one even younger who he didn't recognize. Vegeta set down slowly, taking in the figure of the man whom he had last seen dead. 

            Vegeta wore jeans, a white tee shirt and a jacket with a large Capsule logo on the right breast which only served to further confuse his opponents. He folded his arms and grinned. 

            "Hello, Kakarott. It's been too long."

            Goku gritted his teeth.

            "Dad, who is he? How does he know your Saiyan name?" Goten asked.

            "It CAN'T be! You've been dead for over 30 years!!" Goku cried.

            "What!?" Vegeta was visibly shocked. He made a face worse than his usual grimace. "You're the one who's been dead, you pea-brain!" His tail unfurled and bristled. 

            "Wha...?" Goku scratched his head. He felt an incoming ki and grinned. "Well, Vegeta or whoever you are, if ya wanna fight, you're odds of winning just got worse." 

            'Gohan,' he thought. 'A WEAK Gohan.' Vegeta laughed out loud. "Oh, please." He kicked his power level up to Super Saiyan in a flash as Gohan touched down next to the rest of his family. They all stared incredulously at the Prince. All four men scowled, took a stance and went Super as well. They charged forward in a line, but stopped dead and stared, even more perplexed, past Vegeta.

            "What the..!?!" Goku, Gohan, Goten and Gosan exclaimed in almost identical voices. 

            Gohan and Goten touched down behind Vegeta. "Stop this," the older Son brother demanded. "This is not the time to fight."

            Annoyed, Vegeta turned his head slightly and barked over his shoulder at them. "And just what are you going to do to stop me? It's been years since I've had a challenge and I will not be denied this opportunity!"

            "VEGETA!!!" a shrill, woman's scream pierced the air. Vegeta was the only one who cringed.  "Whatever it is you're thinking about doing... DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!"  

            "Bulma?!" Goku asked getting more and more lost by the moment. 

            Trunks set his squirming mother down. "How DARE you!? This is supposed to be Trunks's time! I thought I'd never get him married off, and now that he's finally getting hitched you have to go and pull this shit?! You're going to ruin everything!!"

            "Shut up, woman! I'm not going to kill the man! I merely wanted to test his strength!"

            Trunks bit his lip. He felt about twelve years old again, stuck in the cross fire of a good old-fashioned Vegeta/Bulma fight.  He rolled his eyes.

            "Sha!" she scoffed. "And beat the living hell out of him, no doubt!"

            "Well, yes, that too."

            Bulma noticed that they had an audience and switched to her second language. "You will do NO SUCH THING."

            Vegeta cursed vehemently in Saiyan, glowered at her and powered up quickly (to just about everyone's surprise) to Super Saiyan level three. 

            Bulma frowned deeper, but stood her ground. Her hair and tail blew wildly around her in the wind that his power up generated. Just when they thought that he was going to kill her, he cooled off and sighed, defeated.

            "Thank you," she said honestly, but curtly. "After the ceremony you boys can have all the bloody fun you want." She looked Goku in the eyes briefly and smiled wistfully, then walked back to her speechless son. She demanded wordlessly that he take her back to the Son house. Goten and Gohan knew that Vegeta would most definitely do what she said, but the others still looked on, not sure of the Saiyan Prince's intentions.

            Gosan was the first to snap out of it. He stepped forward and grinned. "Hey, General! How's it going?"

            "Wha...?" Vegeta stared at him. 

            "'Member me?" Gosan pushed his bangs back away from his Rasha star.

            Vegeta's mouth went slack. "What!? You're that quarter Saiyan from the war, Akiko's brother!"

            "Yeah! Gosan!" He nodded quickly. "How ya been, Mr Oujisama?"

            Vegeta looked from the boy to Gohan to Goku and back again. 'How could I have been so blind! This means that...' He growled and shot off toward the houses. 

            Etibi Gohan motioned for the others to stay where they were and took off after him.

            "Vegeta! Before you do anything..." he struggled for the right way to phrase it. 'Stupid? No. Insane? Eh... Regrettable?...' "Rash..." he pleaded, "think about Trunks."

            "I'll be as rash as I want with that conniving woman of mine!"

            Gohan stopped in mid air and watched him disappear over the horizon. He laughed a little to himself. "Boy, he sure has changed. A few years ago he wouldn't have thought twice about ripping me a new one!" He shook his head and flew back to the other men.

            "Dad!" Goten cried and ran to the older Saiyan. "Wow! I can't believe it's really you! It's been so long!" He wrapped his arms around Goku and squeezed. Hard.

            "Ai! Goten!?"

            He let him go and laughed nervously. "Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. And speaking of myself…" He turned to his doppelgänger. "Hi, me!"

            "Uh.. Hi... Me?" Dibad Goten waved back slowly. 

            Gosan scratched his head. "What are you guys doing here, Goten?" 

            "There's gonna be a wedding!" Goten cheered.

            Etibi Gohan touched down beside his brother and looked his own doppelgänger in the eye. "Your daughter has come home to marry the father of her children. They're waiting back at the houses."

            "WHAT!?" all four exclaimed in unison and felt out for Akiko's ki. 

            "He's right! Oh my God, Akiko!!" Gohan beamed and took off like a shot. Everyone else followed him.

*

            The Chi-chi's were deep in conversation, sharing stories and occasionally shrieking as they finished each other's sentences. The grey-haired Chi-chi couldn't get past the fact that her Etibi counterpart still had mostly black hair. "I TOLD those girls it was their fault!"

            Akiko introduced her mother and the others to some of her friends. 

            "Mom, this is Goten's wife, and Krillin and Android Number 18's daughter, Marron and her son, Kashtan. This is.. heh.. Gohan's wife Videl and her daughter, Pan, her son Okano and this..." she paused for dramatic effect, "is Rojan Chonekken Hoshi, son of Beksha Chonekken and Lona Chogung."

            Atsuko stared at the man in wonder. She smiled sweetly. "Hi. I'm Lona Chogung Called Atsuko Aoi Son. Welcome to our world."

*

            Akago and Ryoga emerged from the house and she had all she could do to explain the sudden arrival of a dozen or so house guests. They then greeted and chatted with Marron, Pan and Rojan and marveled at their offspring. 

            Akiko, Trunks, Soma and Adonai sat close together under the favorite tree. At last, the men came back.

            "Where'd Vegeta go?" Gohan asked his wife.

            Videl jogged over to him from the Chi-chis. "He went to Capsule with his family."

            "Really? What happened? Did he yell at Bulma or anything?" Goten asked, very surprised.

            "Mmm.. no. He didn't look thrilled, but when she told him that in this dimension, she married Yamcha and suggested they all go over and pay them a visit, he just picked her up and took off with her. Roland, Bra and Koro borrowed your.. eh..." she stumbled and blushed. She saw Dibad Gohan step out of the air just behind hers. "HIS mother's car." She pointed to him as he joined his wife under the tree. They all stood and Akiko hugged him tightly. She then introduced Trunks to his future father-in-law.

*

            "Where the hell are they!?" Bra was getting nervous. She fidgeted in her seat and tried not to stare at the Capsule building. 

            "Why can't we go in, Mama?"

            "Because we weren't invited."

            "Mais Bulma et Vegeta weren't invited either," Roland commented.

            "Yeah, but they're much better at being rude than I am!" Bra sighed and played with her hair. "What time did Marron say we have to go shopping for clothes for the ceremony?"

            "Tomorrow morning at ten."

            "Mmm." She twisted her hair faster.

            Roland looked worried. "Chere?"

            "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Bra yelled and flung the car door open. 

            Roland tried to wedge himself out of the tiny aircar quickly, but barely made it to the door with Koro before Bra had wrung the bell.

            "Yeah?" asked the tall, darkly tanned woman who answered.

            Bra stepped back a bit. 'Oh my God.... is that... SHIELER!?' "Uh, is Bulma Briefs at home?"

            She gingerly pushed her long, blonde hair out of her face with a hand adorned with tremendously long fingernails. A dozen or so heavy, gold bangles clanged down her arm as she did this. "Is she 'specting you?"

            "No, actually." A large sweat drop appeared above Bra's head and she thought about running away.

            "Hang. Ok?"

            "Uh, sure."

            "Moooooooooom!" Shieler yelled the word as if it meant 'fire'. "She'll be right here." She looked down her nose and made a face. "Do I know you?"

            "Uh, not really."

            Shieler shrugged and disappeared into the house. 

            Roland lifted up his sunglasses and blinked at the departing hoochie. "Que'st que c'est ça?"

            "J'n' sais pas," Bra muttered in reply.

            "Elle est folle!" Korosette piped.

            "Shhh, Koro! That's not nice. She's not nuts, just... different," her mother semi-scolded.

            Finally, the woman they had come to see appeared at the door. "Can I... help.. you?" She was older, but still slim and well-dressed. Her aqua hair was in need of dying and her face was marked by tiny wrinkles, just as Bra's own mother had appeared only a few months ago. 

            "Hi. I'm Bra. This is my husband, Roland and our daughter, Korosette," Bra stammered. "We're friends of Akiko's."

            Bulma's mouth hung open a bit, but she nodded as she glanced at each of them in turn. "Please," she all but whispered. "Come in."

*

            "Put me down this instant!" Saiyan Bulma screamed when she realized that Vegeta was not taking her to Capsule. "What do you think you're doing!?"

            She struggled fiercely in his grip. He actually had to hold on tightly against her Saiyan strength. Vegeta grumbled, but kept his mouth shut. Once he opened it, he wasn't sure if she would ever talk to him again.

            Finally, a clearing opened up and the Prince came in for a landing. He let her go and she continued to tongue lash him and his bad manners.

            "Woman, do shut up."

            Bulma stopped mid rant. He was as calm as a clear sky. She stared at him in wonder. Something was wrong, very wrong.

            "Woman," he gritted his teeth. "When were you planning on telling me about my future daughter-in-law's heritage?"

            She made a face and hunkered down. "Um, well.." Then she remembered her plan. "WHEN THEY GOT BACK!! Long after they had been legally joined as husband and wife because I knew you'd fly off the handle, but since you somehow figured it out before and rushed into this dimension like the vindictive freak you are, I didn't get the chance!"

            To her surprise, this didn't seem to shake him. 

            "Tell me everything. Now."

            Bulma frowned and sat down.

            "...So we hid it from you. Christ, Trunks didn't even know she's Goku's granddaughter for a while."

            He stood motionless with his back to her. Bulma furrowed her brows. For the first time in long time in the span of their relationship, she was at a loss as to what he was thinking. But she could guess, and it frightened her.

            "Vegeta, I'm... I'm...." she glared up at him. 'Damn it! Why can't you just yell at me like you usually do!?' "I was only looking out for everyone's best interest. I didn't think..."

            Silence. Arms still tightly folded.

            She got up and approached him slowly. "Does it really bother you that much, or was I over reacting? Please, Vegeta...?"

            "I wish you had just told me," he said and turned to face her. "I wish you had told me everything. Don't you trust me after all these years?"

            The hurt in his eyes stabbed her in the heart. She became ashen with shame and tears vaulted out of her eyes. "Oh, Vegeta, I'm so sorry! Of COURSE I do! I just, I don't know.. Maybe I just wanted to.. protect you..." She bit her lip and watched his eyes closely.

            She thanked Kami as they softened; saying without words, 'it's all right.' He unfolded his arms and extended them toward her. Bulma threw herself against his chest and sobbed heavily. The Prince wrapped his arms around her and held her close, silently forgiving his loving wife. 

*

            As night fell on Dibad, the guests gathered at the Son house. The Chi-chis were busy making dinner. The siblings and Ryoga lent them a hand. Atsuko, Videl, Akiko and Pan chatted and planned the wedding. Rojan watched his mother's every move, a slight smile never leaving his lips. The Gohans were comparing notes on their studies. Trunks, the Gotens, Marron and Paris played cards. Goten and Paris's Daughter, Nyoku and Soma played Chinese checkers on the living room floor. Adonai, Kashtan Okano and Goku sparred lightly in the forest out back. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. 

            "Who could that POSSIBLY be...? asked Chi-chi.

            "...The whole WORLD is here already!" her counterpart concluded.

            "Maybe it's Bra and Roland?" Pan wondered.

            "No, they called and said they won't be here for another half an hour," Marron informed them.

            "Vegeta and Bulma?" Akago fretted.

            "I kinda doubt it," Trunks rolled his eyes and murmured.

            Atsuko answered the door.

            "Good evening, everyone."

            "MIRA!!!"

            Akiko jumped out of her seat. "Mira!" She ran to the door and hugged her aunt. "Come in! I KNEW we were missing someone!"

            Mira folded her arms around Akiko gracefully. "It's good to see you too, Akiko."

            "You remember everyone, right?"

            "Indeed."

            Akiko lead her in and grabbed Trunks by the arm. "And you remember my fiancee..." she grinned wide. 

            "I had a feeling." Mira smiled at the man. "It is about time. Akiko. Tell me about your journey. I want to hear all about it."

*

            As those who were outside were brought in, two air cars touched down in the driveway. Bra, Roland and Korosette got out of one, and Bulma, Yamcha, T, his wife, Shieler and their daughter Serena climbed out of the second. Everyone gathered around the once-Goddess as she unraveled the story of her fall from grace... into happiness.

*

            Everyone was busy the following day. The women (except Mira who had her own agenda) all went out and bought dresses and rented tuxedos. The Bulmas, Bra and Shieler lead the charge on the shops, throwing money around like it was confetti (much to the delight of the Son women).

            Most of the men spent the daylight hours beating each other senseless. Goku and Vegeta distanced themselves from the others, but everyone could feel the heavy duty amounts of energy they emitted. 

            Trunks and Goten took on Goten and Gosan for the lack of Trunks "T" Pao who sat with his father, Roland, Akago and Ryoga on the porch. They knew they were hopelessly outclassed by the alien hybrids. The children were just outside the forest... playing.

            "Adonai! I really don't think this is the best idea!" Soma pleaded with her brother. 

            "Why not?" piped Serena. Her shrill voice was like fingernails on a chalk board to the young Prince. "I never seen anything like that before and I really want to, bad! And when I want to do somethin' I GET to do it!" She stomped her foot down.

            "Yeah!" Korosette mimicked her cousin. "If you guys go and try and see Grampa fight Goku and you don't take us with, I'm gonna tell!" She stuck her tongue out at him. Soma looked even more worried at that prospect. 

            Nyoku looked on silently as the argument heated up. 

            "Come on, Ado. They won't get in the way." Kashtan sided with the girls. 

            "Who the hell said you guys were coming!?"

            "Well Ado," Okano said matter of factly as he stretched out. "We're related too. That's why Aunt Akiko invited us here in the first place."

            "That may be, but it doesn't mean she wanted you to get hurt."

            "What!?" Soma bit her nails.

            "They have you two so far outclassed, it's not even slightly amusing. If you go, I won't be held responsible for anything that might happen to you," Ado sneered evily at the Son boys. 

            "We didn't ask for a baby-sitter, Adonai." Koro furrowed her brows. "We'll be FINE."

            "Fine. Tag along if you must." He turned his back and began to take off. 

            "Come on Soma," Okano said as he reached out to pick her up.

            "ABSOLUTELY NOT!!" Ado yelled. "Soma stays here!"

            She pouted. "But Adonai, if they ask me where you guys have gone..."

            Adonai growled. Damn his sister. It was like she was programmed to tell the truth. She could never bring herself to lie, even if it meant being a tattle tale. "FINE! But if she gets hurt, I HURT YOU. Got it?!" he glared at Okano.

            "Got it!" he chimed, unfazed and scooped Soma up into his arms. "Come on, Cousin."

            "Nyoku, you comin' too?" Kashtan offered her his arms.

            "Sure," the terminally shy girl replied and lifted slowly off the ground. Kash blinked a few times. Korosette cleared her throat. Kash giggled nervously and picked her up instead. 

            "AREN'T YOU FORGETTING SOMEONE, NYOKU?!" Serena screamed.

            Nyoku jerked to a halt and retrieved her friend. 

*

            "Come on, Kakarott, you can do better than that!" Super Saiyan Vegeta yelled as he blocked another 40 times Kamehameha. The blast ricocheted off his palm and destroyed a small mountain. 

            Goku, also in Super Saiyan, panted. 'I really doubt I can keep up with this guy much longer!' he thought. 'But this is the best workout I've had in YEARS!' He smirked and charged the Prince again.

            They had been fighting since late dawn. Vegeta had come to his house and waited outside like a gentleman until Goku emerged. This surprised him. His granddaughter and Trunks had filled him in with the entire back story, but until the full-bred Saiyan men came face to face, he had no idea just how much Vegeta had changed since last he saw him: the first time Goku died.

            "All right, I'm warm now." Vegeta turned on the offensive and began pummeling Goku. After fifteen minutes or so of giving him a steady beating, Vegeta backed off. Goku was raw and bloody. His chest heaved with exertion, but the smile still hung on his lips. "Shit," Vegeta swore and floated back down to Earth. Only then did Goku frown. "It's just no good."

            "What's the matter, Vegeta? You gettin' tired?"

            He scoffed at this. "Does it look like it?" He powered back down. "You're the one who needs a nap."

            "Then whaddaya mean, 'no good'?"

            He folded his arms and pouted. "I am the greatest Saiyan, at long last."

            "Yeah, I gotta admit, you've become unbelievably strong! I wouldn't have a chance if ya REALLY wanted to do me in."

            Vegeta snarled. "You're right, I'm not going to kill you. I just wanted to best you."

            "And you have. So what's the problem? Let's keep going!"

            "You just don't get it, do you? You're NOTHING compared to him! Nothing!" Vegeta screamed, referring to the Goku of his dimension, who had given his life to save the world a final time so many years ago. "Even the day he died he was a hundred times your better and mine if not my equal!"  
            Goku was taken aback, but understood his frustration. He sobered. "Then train me."

            "WHAT!?"

            "Train me! It sounds like I was a good learner in your dimension. I wish you could teach me some of the things the other me knew how to do!"

            The Prince was astonished. He stared at Goku for a moment before bursting out laughing.

            "I'm serious!" Goku pouted. "I want to be as strong as you, Vegeta!"

            This just made him laugh even harder.

            Adonai frowned as he watched his grandfather and great-grandfather.

            "What's Vegeta laughing about?" Kash asked.

            "I dunno," Okano listened carefully, but couldn't make out the words.

            A tiny voice answered. "Grampa wants Vegeta to train him." Everyone turned and looked at Nyoku. She blushed deeply.

            "You heard that?" Ado hissed.

            "I'm good at that cause I'm so... quiet," she muttered and shuffled her feet.

            Ado looked to the sparring grounds. Vegeta had stopped laughing and seemed to be... TALKING to Goku!? He gritted his teeth.

            "ADONAI!" Vegeta called with a heavy Saiyan accent. You and your little friends get over here!"

            They all jumped, but obeyed. Goku was amused that all the children had all come out to watch them.

            "What the hell's going on, Grandfather?!"

            "Respect me, boy," Vegeta warned.

            "Apologies, Grandfather. I just don't see the point in training this low-class..."

            ".. This low-class warrior is your blood, in case you've forgotten. Maybe that's why you still have yet to break Super Saiyan." Vegeta turned his back and closed his eyes.

            Ado gasped.

            "What are they saying?" Serena asked.

            Soma, the only other person present who was semi-fluent in Saiyan answered, but never took her eyes off her brother. "I think we should back up a few paces..." The energy in the air built up steadily.

            Adonai growled and began concentrating his energy.

            Vegeta turned and glared at him. "Maybe that's why you're so weak!!" he yelled. Goku furrowed his brows. He may not have been able to understand Saiyan, but he knew Vegeta was berating him.

            "Hey, you wanna talk my language, please? I'd like to know what insults you're hurling at my great-grandkid!"

            "Shut up, Kakarott! I'll say what I want to this pathetic little boy!!"

            The other children gasped at the statement. Adonai roared as he pushed himself further. He'd show them! He could do it! Okano protected Soma, Serena hid behind Nyoku and Kash protected Koro who tried to get around him to see better as the wind picked up. Goku and Vegeta were stoic as they stood and stared. Suddenly, something inside Adonai popped. The new Super Saiyan charged his grandfather and began punching and kicking him faster than some of those present could see. The others looked on in wonder. 

            Vegeta slammed into the ground as the blows rained down on him. When dust obscured their vision, something beside flesh meeting flesh could be heard. Laughter. Slow at first, but as the contact sounds stopped and the dust began to settle, the laughter became more jovial. Never the less, it was still Vegeta's laugh, and that could only sound so friendly. 

            Everyone stood by and watched the pair with very puzzled looks. Vegeta lay on the ground, holding Ado above his chest by the shoulders and laughing a HAPPY laugh. Ado looked stunned.

            "You did it!!" the Prince cried. "I KNEW you had it in you, Adonai!"

            Ado blinked and chuckled. It was all just to push him; to make him mad enough to punch through the barrier. Goku began to laugh as well. The other children looked at each other.

            Korosette folded her arms and closed her eyes. "Now you know what it's like at OUR house. God, they are so weird! It's so embarrassing!"

*

             Little Capsule houses (courtesy of Bulma and Yamcha) dotted the landscape around the three permanent ones to accommodate the otherworldly guests, but everyone preferred to enjoy each other's company tightly packed inside Goku and Chi-chi's house that evening. As the children were getting sleepy and the coffee and tea had been exhausted, Vegeta started growing weary of chit-chat. He looked to his wife every few minutes and caught the same restlessness in her eyes. She winked to him and tilted her head towards the door. He grinned.

            At the same time, Akago was plotting the same thing. She took Ryoga by the hand and lead him to the back door, hoping to slip out unnoticed. 

            "Go-chan, Sweetie, don't be out too late," Atsuko chimed without turning her head.

            Akago froze in place. "Don't worry Mom." She removed a capsule from her pocket.

            The Chi-chi's looked to the young couple with disdain.

            "Don't you think she's a little young.."

            ".. To be going out with a boy, unescorted?"

            Atsuko merely waved off their concern.

            Go-chan exploded the capsule and put on the clunky goggles it contained.

            "Uh, Go-chan. It's night out. I don't think you need those." Ryoga raised an eyebrow.

            "Ha!" she laughed almost involuntarily. "Let's just say I have an allergy to moonlight." Go-chan brushed his cheek with her tail as they walked through the door. 

            Vegeta pushed away from the table and yawned dramatically. He made some grumbled excuse and quit his conversation. As he made his was through the crowded living room, a scream drew everyone's attention.

            "Bulma!!" he cried and rushed to the door. Atsuko thought fast and blocked his way.

            "Cover your eyes, your Highness! It's a full moon!"

            "What!?" 'The moon!? Shit!'

            Everyone who could, flew outside. Akiko exploded her own goggles and raced out to see her good friend mutate into an enormous, brown, out of control oozaru. Bulma beat her chest and roared, stomping this way and that, threatening the little community. 

            Dibad Bulma pushed past the crowd and stared up at the were-monkey. "Wow! Look at me go!" she shouted.

            "Goten, Gohan!.." Goku cried to his sons and their doppelgängers. "Gosan, Trunks, go for the tail!"

            "NO!!" Vegeta shouted, his hand over his eyes. "You touch her tail and you answer to me!!!"

            "But, Vegeta..?" Goku whined. "She's gonna squish my house!"

            He snarled and looked around under his hand for something to do. Then he spied the women. The Prince lunged, tore the goggles off Akiko and flew up to try to stop his wife, but he was batted away just the same as the others.

            Akiko gasped and before she could bring her hands up, her pupils became saturated with moonlight preventing her from looking away. 

            "Akiko!!" Trunks cried as her eyes rolled back and she began to growl. 

            The men dodged Bulma's mouth beams and swatting hands, futily. Unwilling to hurt her, their hands were tied.

            "Kiko! Catch!" Go-chan shouted as she ran back to the house and threw her own moon goggles at her sister. They landed perfectly on her head. Akiko collapsed on the ground and moaned with relief. Trunks rushed to her side to make sure she was all right.

            Akago looked up to the Oozaru Bulma and the moon. She clenched her fists and got ready to transform for the fifth time in her life. She sprouted fangs, blue fur and pointed ears and grew to 300 some odd feet tall. She was only a few inches shorter than the brown one, but in full control. "Bulma! Hey!" her deep voice boomed off the distant mountain. "It's ok!"

            Bulma stopped shooting and flailing and stared at the smiling were-monkey before her.

            "Yeah, that's it, I'm just like you... only... blue!" She put her hand on her shoulder and gave her a series of reassuring pats. Bulma blinked and patted the blue beast back. Akago gave the thumbs up to the others. "Should I unplug her?" She motioned to her tail.

            "NO!" Vegeta barked.

            Trunks frowned at him.

            "It's ok," Akiko laced her arm through his. "I understand."

            "I'll take her into the forest till the moon sets, then." Go-chan monkey walked off with Bulma under the shadow of Mt. Paozu. 

            Everyone slowly went back indoors, but Ryoga stood and stared vacantly where the oozarus had been. Gosan looked over his shoulder, but when he didn't see what Ryoga was looking at, he shrugged and slapped the older boy on the back. 

            "Welcome to the family, Ryoga!"

            He twitched slightly. "And I thought it was rough being a little, black pig!"

*

            Rain threatened throughout the morning, so Atsuko left the weather channel up on the tiny television in her house. The women fluttered from room to room and house to house, like a dozen or so butterflies, getting everything ready. 

            "I got it!" Shieler announced as she and her daughter came back into the living room. 

            Atsuko looked up and smiled wide. "Oh, thanks!" She took the capsule and examined it.

            "That hall should be big enough to fit fifty people," Shieler pointed at it with a long, pink fingernail.

            "Excellent. Rain or no rain, this is gonna be great!"

            "Mom!" Akago called from the East end of the room. "Come'ere, check it out!"

            "I'm kinda busy right now, Sweetheart."

            "It's the weather, Mom!"

           Atsuko handed off the Capsule to a rather sleepy, betailed Bulma and navigated her way through the mess of people. The screen displayed a map of the region. The meteorologist pointed to a large, dark green mass, hovering perilously over them.

            "...and as we can see, in the next hour, these storms will be whipping through the Southeast, depositing a healthy amount of rain..."

            "Healthy, my ass!" Atsuko grumbled.

            "Mom!" Akago blushed. She waved for her to be quiet.

            "...but as it comes down from the Northwest, we see this warm front and this low coming in from the South and that's gonna dry things up, right quick. So, your afternoon in the Southern district is shaping up to be sunny and mild, temperatures in the high 70's to mid 80's..."

            "Woo hoo!!!" Atsuko jumped up and down and cheered the meteorologist. "Well, there's one less thing I need to worry about!"

*

            The men sat around in Goten's house, out of the way of the women, who had used them to do all the grunt work they could think of earlier in the morning. Vegeta stood by a window and looked out at the rain.

            "If you ask me, it's a bad omen," he grumbled.

            "Well, no one did," Etibi Gohan quipped back. His counterpart thought the same thing, but dared not be so bold with a man whom he had seen kill his father. "But I disagree, Vegeta."

           "Gohan's right. A little rain never hurt anyone." Goku finished chatting with Kashtan and Okano, stood and stretched. 

            The Gotens nodded. Vegeta felt that he was being stared at and turned to face whoever it was. T adjusted his bow tie, blinked a few times and apologized. "Hey," he tried to cover for his rudeness. "Where's Trunks, anyway?"

            He was answered in shrugs. 

*

            High above the grey clouds, above the little houses, Trunks and Akiko hovered in midair in an embrace. 

            "So, you scared?"

            "A little. You?"

            "Little." He nodded. "But, in a good way."

            "Yeah," she smiled back.

            "They're probably wondering where the heck we are."

            "Oh God," Akiko laughed. "My mother's probably having an aneurysm!"

            "Your mom is awesome."

            Akiko grinned wider and hugged tighter. They kissed for several more minutes before descending quickly through the rain clouds. 

*

            'Please, God, don't let this be a disaster!' Atsuko thought to herself as she made the final preparations. 'It seems everything we do is always marred by some kind of wacky unexpected cataclysm. Just one day, please, that's all I ask; one, normal day where nothing goes wrong!'

            "Mom, can you give me a hand?" Akiko called from her old bedroom on the second floor. She had her back to her, and the wedding dress was open. "I can't do it up myself."

            "Oh! Of course!" Atsuko had spent the last night after the oozaru debacle altering the dress to accommodate Akiko's extra appendage. She carefully buttoned the dress around her tail. "Is that ok? It's not too tight, is it?"

            "Of course not. You've been making clothes for me and Go-chan long enough, I think you've gotten the hang of it!" Akiko turned and smoothed her hands over her dress. "Well, what do you.." Her hair was unbraided and the two long locks on either side hung loosely. The dress was simple, but classic; white with lacy flowers and vines embroidered on the waist and shoulders. "..Mom? Are you ok?"

            "Yeah! I'm great!" Atsuko sniffled. "Kikobaby, you're so beautiful!"

            "Mom..." Akiko laughed humbly and hugged her. 

            Trunks paced a little in Goten's living room. Adonai stood with his back up against the wall and watched him. So. His family would finally be united. His father seemed happier than Adonai could ever remember him being since he had gotten back from the Mirai dimension. Although he didn't like the idea of being a Son, he figured he could tolerate it. If everyone else could. 'If only Okano and Kashtan weren't such huge dorks!!'

            Gohan stopped staring at the floor and looked to his counterpart, who smiled. "Isn't it a great feeling?" 

            "Yeah, but, she's my Kikobaby."

            "I know. Pan was only 18 when she married Rojan."

            "Heh, I was only 19 when Kiko was born. That's nothing! We've been waiting for a long time!"

            Rojan and Trunks both blushed.

            "God! Is it time yet?! I feel like I'm gonna explode!" Trunks laughed. 

            The Rashaman looked to his watch. " Goku and them must have put up the Capsule hall by now." 

            Just as he finished that thought, Goku and Gosan burst in the door, the capsule still in hand. "Guys! Come'ere!"

            As they filed out of the house, everyone gasped at the sight. A huge double rainbow seemed to cover the entirety of Mt. Paozu. The women poured out of Goku's house and remarked at it as well. The sky was still sort of dark and the smell of rain was thick in the air, but the sunlight kissed everything in the area and made it glow. The storm had passed.

            "Well," Gohan said to the party. "How's THAT for a good omen?!" he smiled and poked Vegeta in the ribs. The Prince narrowed his eyes, but had to agree. It was a good sign, by any standard. 

            "Let's do this!" Trunks shouted, his fists clenched tightly and sweating profusely. "Before I pass out!!"

            The crowd laughed and assembled, standing, on the lawn. Mira seemed to appear out of nowhere and stood before them all.

            Akiko followed Atsuko out of the house quickly and awed at the rainbow. Gohan jogged up to her, took a second to take in how amazing she looked and took her arm. "We better do this now, huh?"

            "Yeah, before that before beautiful thing disappears!"

            "Or before Trunks spontaneously combusts!" he whispered as he lead her down the makeshift aisle. Soma skipped in front them, scattering daisies along the path between the groups of people. In a moment they were before the sorceress and the man from another world who would shortly be Akiko's husband.

            "Welcome, all those gathered here today, to the marriage ceremony of Trunks Oujisama and Akiko Son. They have both come a long way to come to this point. All those present can vouch for this couple's deep and often misguided love for each other."

            There was a smattering of giggles though the audience.

            "They have produced two amazing children, Soma and Adonai, thus linking the houses of Son and Oujisama by blood. They have brought us all together to be in each other's company and to share in their love. Now, under the watchful eyes of Kami-sama, we will see these two bound together in grace as well as love."

            Trunks lifted Akiko's hands up and faced her. They looked into each other's eyes. "Akiko Son. I love you with all my heart and vow to protect you and our children, forever." Adonai held up a dark blue, velvet pillow with two rings on it. Trunks took the sparkling diamond and slipped it onto her finger. Akiko bit her lip to keep from crying out with joy. She trembled as she took his hands in similar fashion.

            Atsuko couldn't blink, but the tears flowed down her cheeks all the same. She squeezed her husband's hand tightly.

            Bulma hugged Vegeta's arm and blotted away her tears quietly with the handkerchief he had given her.

            "Trunks Oujisama. I love you..." she sniffled, "with all my heart... and vow to protect you... and our children!" Akiko hiccupped as she tried to stop crying, which made her (and a good deal of the audience) laugh. "Forever!" Her trembling hands picked up the ring and promptly dropped it. Before anyone could gasp, Adonai caught it and handed it to his mother. She smiled at him, and he couldn't help but smile back. Finally, she put the ring on Trunks's finger. The couple turned and faced Mira.

            "As you are in my eyes, so you are in Kami's eyes, now and forever, husband and wife. You may seal this union with a kiss."

            There was a three count of silence as they turned back to each other, embraced and kissed. Then the crowed showered them in tears, cheers and rice. 

            Akago ran back into her house and turned on the stereo and the reception began. Champagne flowed and the Chi-chis, Marron, Videl and Pan brought out heaping trays of food and put them on long tables. Akago dragged Ryoga to level ground in the middle of the lawn and forced him to dance with her. Fortunately, she drew so much attention, that no one noticed how bad Ryoga's dancing was. Gosan joined them, dragging the younger kids with him. The song changed to an old swing tune and Akago, Akiko and Gosan baited their parents.

            "Come on! I'll dance if you guys do!" Akiko grinned.

            Atsuko was bright red.

            "What's the big deal?" Pan asked her grandfather.

            "They can swing like ya never seen!" Goku made a goofy face and imitated some steps.

            Finally, they relented. Atsuko handed her hair picks to her mother-in-law and kicked off her shoes. They awed all present with their moves. Atsuko was tossed up in the air several times before the song ended with a big finish. 

            "Ok," Atsuko panted. "Your turn." She gave her daughter's hand to her father. The next song was a standard, slow song called "At Last" sung by Etta James; just the sort of song Akiko used to hum to Soma in the Palace Between the Worlds when she missed her family the most. Akiko and her Dada danced in circles and whatever it was they said to each other, was between them.

            Atsuko sat down in a Capsule patio chair and watched them go around. 'Such a long time coming,' she thought. 'So many trials, but we always come out on top. We even beat the rain. She really is beautiful. My little tom-boy. And her incredible children...' 

            Adonai watched as Koro, Soma, Kash, Serena, Okano and Nyoku played tag through the guests legs. He was inevitably dragged along by his female cousins. Atsuko giggled. 'He'll be fine. He just needs to get used to all this, like I did when I came here from Cymm all those years ago. Akiko was already five years old. There were some tough times, but we got over them because we loved each other.' 

            More people got brave and started to dance. Bulma could not budge Vegeta, however, and had to dance with her son instead. 

            'And now, our family is so huge! But...' the smiled dropped off Atsuko's face. 'Now that Akiko isn't a Goddess with the power to visit us... will we lose her to her NEW family?!'

            "You ok, hun?" Gohan sat down next to her. 

            "Oh, Gohan, we'll never see her again!" she sobbed into his shirt. Shushing her, he stroked her hair and lifted her onto his lap. "Come on, Atsuko. Not yet. Let's be happy right now, huh?" He fought his own sadness as he tried to comfort her. Just behind them, Atsuko's sister listened to their worries. 

            People peeled away from the makeshift dance floor as another slow song came on. Akago grinned and looked for her sister's reaction. Akiko blushed as she recognized Cheap Trick's "I Will Be The Flame". She knew this was their dance. 

            "I love this song," Trunks whispered to her.

            "Me too!" 

            For four and a half minutes, the couple danced as if they were the only people in the world, in any dimension. Neither said a word, having left verbal communication behind. When the song ended, everyone applauded them and Goten tapped his niece on the shoulder. 

            "My turn!" He smiled.

            "Goten," Mira came up from behind and startled him. "May I have a word with Akiko before your dance?"

            "Uh…" He scratched his head. "Sure, Mira."

            "Akiko, I know this is your day, but, could you do me a small favor?"

            Akiko shrugged. "Sure, why not. Anything you want."

            "Could you bring me the katana... right now?"

            Atsuko saw the a look of shock on Akiko's face and became concerned. "Gohan, look." She pointed to the group in the distance. Trunks furrowed his brows and said something to Mira. She stood her ground. Akiko gathered her skirts and went into the house. "I'm going to find out what's going on," Atsuko said and slid out of her husband's lap.

            "I'm right behind you."

            Akiko returned to Mira, hiding the inter-dimensional key in the folds of her wedding gown. It was bad enough that Mira had made her remember that they would have to leave this dimension forever the following day, but she didn't want to ruin the good time of anyone else present. Her mother, father and Pan and Rojan had joined the group and were muttering to themselves. Mira simply waited for Akiko with her pale, blue hands clasped over her long, violet braid behind her back. 

            "Thank you. I wanted to get you something useful, Akiko, for your wedding. But I was sure that Capsule Corp. housed the best blenders and crock pots on Earth. So, my dear niece… Please. Hand me the katana." She put her hands out expectantly. 

            Akiko couldn't tell if she was joking or not. Mira never seemed to be able to tell a joke before, but this was all just so strange that Akiko felt like laughing. She made a face and handed the key over. 

            Once Mira's hands touched the sword, Akiko realized what she had done. All the guests' attentions were drawn to the spectacle. Light and wind and the like swirled around the sorceress. Her hair was cut into a bob with two long braids on either side. Her clothes mutated into a blue kimono and her skin became as white as paper. The new Goddess stood before them and grinned a thin grin of satisfaction. 

            "MIRA!" Atsuko shouted, astounded. "Does this mean...?"

            "Yes, my sister. I must admit, I was jealous of our Akiko. There is nothing more in this world, or any other for that matter, that I would rather do than study sorcery until the end of time. This job is perfect, and indeed, I believe it was meant for me, not her. But, even higher powers make mistakes."

            She glided towards Akiko. "I'm sorry if I upset you for a moment just then. It was only for effect," said in her new, silvery voice. "Here is my gift to you, Akiko." From her sleeve, Mira produced a thin, rock-like tablet with strange writing on it.

            "What.. what is it?" she stammered. 

            "A passport: to and from the dimension of Dibad from and to the dimension of Etibi only. For anytime, and how often you and your friends like, with the exception of doppelgängers. Well, you know the rules."

            Akiko blinked at the tablet then at her husband then at Mira. The Goddess nodded and was tackled as Akiko rushed at her and hugged her. "THANK YOU!!"

            Atsuko spun around and hugged Gohan. A cheer went through the crowd, which had been listening intently for the last few minutes. 

            Akago's voice lilted above the others as she began to sing. "Aru hi mezameruto / suteki na asa ga matteta..." [One morning as I woke up / a wonderful morning was waiting…]

            Then her mother joined her in harmony. "Sekai ga kyou wa / yasahiku mawari hajimeru..." [Today the world / starts to spin]

            Akiko laughed with joy and ran to join them. "Mou boku ni wa kanashii koto nado /  nanimo nai!" [I have no reason to be sad about anything / anymore] Then she sang to her parents:

            "Tottemo kansha shiteru [I very much appreciate that]

            Boku ni wa papa to mama ya..." [I have a papa and mama]

            To Gosan, Rojan, Akago and Pan:

            "Ototo ya imoto..." [Little brother and little sister]

            To Goku and Chi-chi:

            "Ojiichan obaachan..." [Grampa and Gramma]

            To the guests:

            "Naka no ii tomodachi..." [Good friends]

            To Soma and Adonai:

            "Soshite kawaii kodomo to..." [And my lovely children]

            Then, she turned to Trunks:

            "Soshite, soshite [And, and]

            Kimi ga iru!" [I have you!]

            He recognized the song from the one she sang spontaneously when they returned from Kiaditu only a week ago. As she was pulled to him, she left the other Rashawomen to finish the song. For the third time that day, applause and cheers resounded in the little valley; echoing their happiness for miles.

*****

**End Dragonball Alternate Dimension**

**Glossary:**

Doppelgänger - Double, or second self

**SONGS THAT INSPIRED THE BLUE-HAIR GIRL:**

**TITLE** **ARTIST ** **ALBUM** **WHO / WHAT** "Special" Garbage V 2.0 Atsuko "Little Star" Madonna Ray Of Light Akiko "Intergalactic" Beastie Boys Hello Nasty Battle w/ Rasha "Planet Home" Jamiroquai Synkronized Homecoming "Hymn of The Big Wheel" Massive Attack Blue Lines Catharsis "Win Some, Lose Some" Robbie Williams The Ego Has Landed Trunks "Heaven Tonight" Hole Celebrity Skin Akiko and Trunks "Somebody" Depeche Mode 101 Akiko and Trunks "La Depression" Pizzicato Five Playboy Playgirl Akiko and Trunks "Love Island" Fat Boy Slim You've Come A Long Way, Baby Pan, Marron + JJ "Right Here, Right Now" Fat Boy Slim You've Come A Long Way, Baby Intro War of The Rasha "Disintegration"  The Cure Disintegration Trunks "Teardrop" Massive Attack Mezzanine Pan and Rojan "Soma"  Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream Soma "Adonais" The Cure (B-Side of The 13th) Adonai "Persian Love Song" Dead Can Dance Toward the Within Goddess Akiko "Sanvean" Lisa Gerard The Mirror Pool Goddess Akiko "Yaisa Maneena" Tokiko Kato Songs From The Cold Seas Goddess Akiko "Visur Vatsenda Rosu" Björk Songs From the Cold Seas Soma Spells "At Last" Etta James Northern Exposure Akiko "World Is Spinning @ 45rpms" Pizzicato Five Happy End of the World End 

**Aoi Kami Sarah would like to thank the following in no particular order:**

            Toriyama Akira-sensei.

            Marty Hermans, JJ Auslander and Hali Feldman for listening.

            Micol "Kita" Raab for being her gothic badass self.

            TJ O'Connor for inspiration (see T and Okano...:)

            Kiadi for being an amazing host and confidence booster.

            Hoshino-kun for Japanese language support.

            Jake Hermans for French language support.

            Cartoon Network for bringing Dragon Ball Z to my attention in the fall of '98.

            Neil Gaiman for the Sandman.   

            The Readers.

020899072200  Rev1: 070502


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